Multi-million dollar home and farm equipment lost in Mackenzie fire

The manager of the High Country station, which was hit hardest by a massive fire that devastated more than 3,500 hectares in Mackenzie on Sunday, thanked fire crews and volunteers for their efforts.

Pukaki Downs Station Manager George Ormond said that while they had suffered significant losses “including a multi-million dollar home, tractors and other farm equipment,” they were grateful the fire did not claim more.

“We want to express our sincere appreciation for the efforts of the helicopter and ground crews who worked long hours in high winds and very challenging conditions.

“Fire crews, many of whom are volunteers, risked their lives to contain the fire, protect our homes and farm buildings, and prevent the fire from spreading further north.

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Rob Hands, South Canterbury’s chief rural fire officer, said Monday that fire crews had worked through Sunday night to protect the property, including facilitating the disposal of valuable lavender oil.

Ormond said the firefighters’ actions were courageous and appreciated.

“Without the selfless and courageous actions of the helicopter crews and ground firefighters, we would have lost much more, including our valuable inventory of lavender oil that the firefighters helped us save.

“Miraculously, the fire actually saved our lavender field, which was left completely intact.

“Our planted Cedros Attenuata trees were also not touched by fire or protected by firefighters,” Ormond said.

Property owners in the area have been praised for their previous efforts to remove the Scots pines around their properties, work that Hands said helped save properties.

“They have followed our advice over the years and have developed what we call defensible space, a distance between the fuels that will burn and your property, something like 30 or 40 meters … It is the only reason why our planes were able to save some of those properties, “Hands said Monday.

Ormond said he was pleased that efforts to clear the forests in the northern part of the property had helped “prevent the fire from spreading further north.”

He said they were also touched by the support they had received from the local community and neighbors since Sunday.

In particular, Matt Hurst, Charlie and Mary Hobbs, and Kaye and Luke Paardekooper; and to Doug McIntyre and Mike Harrex, who pulled our excavator out of the fire path, ”he said.