Military placed on standby as more snow forecast

Soldiers from Burnham Military Camp are preparing to help relief efforts in snowbound Canterbury.

Defence Minister Phil Goff announced yesterday that the Army and Air Force were on standby after a request from Civil Defence co-ordinators worried about further icy weather forecast for the weekend.

In a remote part of Ashburton district, road conditions hampered firefighters in their efforts to reach a burning house.

Acting Fire Region Commander Mark Chubb said the home and contents were destroyed, but the residents managed to escape without injury.

He could not confirm whether the fire started as the result of open flames being used for heat or light due to the lingering power outages caused by Monday's snow.

Thousands of properties in the hinterland from South Canterbury to North Canterbury were still without power and telephones yesterday, four days after the province was smothered by the heaviest snowstorm since 1992.

But the huge dump of snow has been good news for snowsport fans.

In Queenstown yesterday skiers and boarders hit the slopes of Coronet Peak in a mad rush as the skifield opened for the season.

Coronet Peak is the first Southern Lakes skifield to open after the storms delivered 30cm of fresh snow to the mountain's ski area.

Announcing the assistance efforts yesterday afternoon, Mr Goff said Burnham-based Army personnel and vehicles would head out to remote areas to check roads and assess infrastructure.

Two Air Force Iroquois helicopters were due to join the Army yesterday.

Mr Goff said an aviation fuel tanker was sent to the South Island on Wednesday and the Defence Force put on standby "in anticipation of a request for support".

Captain Rachel Riley, of Defence Force headquarters in Wellington, said two liaison officers from Burnham-based 3rd Land Force Group had been sent to hard-hit Fairlie and Waimate in South Canterbury to assess any support requirements.

More icy weather is predicted to hit the South Island today and during the weekend.

Canterbury Civil Defence emergency planner Jon Mitchell said the forecasts were a "big concern".

People were urged to stock up with essentials, such as fuel for heating and cooking, food and water, mobile phones and the means to recharge them from car batteries, and battery-operated radios.

- NZPA, OTAGO DAILY TIMES