Record numbers are expected to hit the road this long weekend as people head north for Waitangi Day. As well as busier traffic volumes than usual, a road closure will be in place on Waitangi Day at the SH11 roundabout exit to Te Karuwha Parade in Paihia, restricting traffic to Waitangi. A detour to via SH10 to Haruru Falls will be available. From there, parking is available at Bledisloe ground and there is a shuttle bus to Waitangi.
School photos warning
Police are warning parents to check the privacy settings on their social media before posting back-to-school photos of their kids online. There have been instances where innocent images are used in child exploitation material or offenders use information from the images, like school logos, to identify and groom children, police say.
Fire callouts
High temperatures, humidity, winds, and out-of-control burn-offs sparked a series of fire callouts. Fire and Emergency NZ group manager for Northland Denis Cooper said people needed to ensure they had a way to extinguish fires when lighting burn-offs. While the grass was green, conditions were very dry underneath, he said. Cooper’s warning came after a burn-off spread through half a hectare in Russell, near a private golf course in Orongo Bay. A helicopter was brought in to help support the Russell brigade fighting the blaze until firefighters from further afield had managed to make the ferry crossing.
