Source: Fire and Emergency New Zealand
Fire and Emergency New Zealand is moving from active firefighting to monitoring the fire in Waipoua Forest, which began last Wednesday and forced the evacuation of the Waipoua settlement.
Incident Controller Denis Cooper says that after a week-long battle to contain and extinguish the 91-hectare fire, forestry contractors were dealing with the last remaining hotspots today.
“We monitored the fire last night, and will be back on the job tonight, just to make sure we’ve really got all of it,” he says.
“We’ll also have two Fire and Emergency crews there, and will check back here regularly over the next week to make sure there aren’t any flare-ups.”
Fire and Emergency attended a community meeting this morning with several other agencies, including local iwi Te Raroa, Department of Conservation and the Ministry of Social Development, to make sure the community gets the support it needs in the aftermath of the fire.
Many residents of the Waipoua settlement evacuated last Wednesday have now returned to their homes.
Northland District Manager Wipari Henwood says early indications are that the fire was caused by a rubbish fire that got out of control – however investigations are still under way.
“We’re working really closely with the community and Te Roroa to improve education around fire safety and restrictions,” he says.
“We’re developing a response plan for the community, so that if a large fire happens here again, people know what to do to keep themselves and their whānau safe.”
Outdoor fires are now completely prohibited in parts of Te Tai Tokerau – including Waipoua – due to the extremely dry conditions.
This means no outdoor fires can be lit and all fire permits are revoked.
Anyone considering lighting a fire should go to checkitsalright.nz to check the fire restrictions for their location and for advice and guidance on lighting fires outside.