From 6am today, the Manawatū-Whanganui Coastal Zone has moved to a restricted fire season. The restriction applies until further notice. The move comes as ongoing dry weather and consistent wind increase the risk of fire, reflected in a spike in scrub fires last week.
Fire and Emergency New Zealand risk reduction adviser Gavin Pryce said the sandy conditions along the coastal zone meant there was a lack of moisture for shrubs and tussock, which created a heightened risk if they caught fire.
“If this dry weather continues, we will likely be looking at total fire bans or further restrictions, probably within a couple of weeks,” Pryce said.
Anyone wanting to light a fire within the Manawatū-Whanganui Coastal Zone, including Whanganui City, would require a fire permit, he said.
“We are asking for people to take precautions and to stay with any fires at all times; also to have some way of extinguishing a fire should it get out of control, such as a bucket of water or garden hose.”
At this time of year, there were more call-outs and crews underwent more training to deal with vegetation fires, he said.
“We have had an increase in vegetation fires in the last week or so, and those are also a result of dryness and [an] increase in fire behaviour.”
The fire in 10-year-old standing pines required a response from multiple fire crews, and helicopters with monsoon buckets to be brought under control.
Renee Potae, Fire and Emergency assistant commander Manawatū-Whanganui, said by Saturday morning the fire had been fully put out, and crews had left the site in the hands of the forest managers.
“The forestry company will keep checking the site in case anything emerges,” Potae said.
A report was being made into the cause of the fire but had not yet been released, she said.
The fire stretched to about a hectare at its most intense but also caught on to piles of slash, which made it difficult to fully extinguish.
“If the wind had been stronger that first night, it would have been a whole lot worse,” Potae said.
No costs for property owner after unnotified burn-off near Parikino
“That’s just the business that we’re in. We respond to reports of fire and this was just one of those cases.
“The location was quite far off the road and it made it hard for the crews to pinpoint the fire.”
Fire and Emergency shift manager Andrew Tollison said it was vital property owners informed fire services of such burn-offs or controlled burns.
Restricted fire season for Manawatū-Whanganui
A restricted fire season means anyone planning on lighting an open-air fire will need a permit.
The Manawatū-Whanganui Coastal Zone moved to a restricted fire season at 6am today.
The zone follows SH1/SH3 to the coast and includes:
All beaches within the zone
Whanganui City and Bulls, Sanson, Foxton and Levin townships
Fire and Emergency Manawatū-Whanganui district manager Nigel Dravitzki said the area had not had any rain recently and was experiencing warm temperatures exceeding 23C.
