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There were three main factors in the way the fire that destroyed up to 50 houses in Lake Ōhau village played out.
While some properties escaped hell, others a few feet away were burned to the ground.
CHARLIE O’MANNIN / Things
A fire destroyed a property on Lake Ōhau and other people were unharmed in the background.
New Zealand Fire and Emergency Incident Controller Graeme Still said the embers strike, the type of fuel around a property and the type of structure were key factors.
He said that in the case of Lake Ōhau, the main reason why some houses were destroyed and others was not the transfer of embers.
“Due to the wind factor, the impact of the embers can occur randomly due to the way the embers are moving.”
The size of the grill also made a difference. The bigger the ember, the more likely it will set a structure on fire, he said.
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“Then there is the type of fuel around the structure. What kind of fuel was around the structure, if there was firewood on the deck, if it was a wooden deck. “
Still, he said the type of structure also had an impact on the bottom line.
It will conduct radiant heat, right? Sometimes radiant heat burns out. “
Still, he said the impact on the town had left him quite excited and feeling for the residents.
