A view of the damage done by the fire. Rangihoua pā is at the top of the ridge. Photo / supplied
A view of the damage done by the fire. Rangihoua pā is at the top of the ridge. Photo / supplied
Department of Conservation staff have found no sign of any kiwi that might have died in the fire sparked by the detonation of an explosive device at Rangihoua Bay on Saturday night (Witness hears kiwi screaming, January 22).
DoC staff inspected the hillside below of Rangihoua pā, on the PureruaPeninsula, on Tuesday, senior ranger Adrian Walker saying the Rangihoua Heritage Park and the area around Marsden Cross was a stronghold for Northland brown kiwi, and while some may have perished, there was no direct evidence of that.
"With little wind at the time, hopefully any kiwi present had time to escape," he said.
Kiwi eggs were particularly vulnerable to fire, but no nests were located in the burnt area.
The fire had denuded important archaeological features of Rangihoua pā, making it vulnerable to erosion, however. Heritage New Zealand and local hapū Ngāti Torehina were assessing the damage. Approximately half a hectare, which had been covered in kikuyu, regenerating manuka and kanuka and coastal hardwood trees, had been burned.
Mr Walker said DoC was disappointed that irresponsible actions had put the reserve's conservation and cultural values at risk.
The fire started about 9pm when a home-made incendiary device exploded on the beach. Seven fire appliances and about 30 firefighters battled the blaze that night, a helicopter with a monsoon bucket extinguished hotspots along the cliff next morning.
