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Fire engineers and scientists will visit the fire-ravaged village of Lake Ōhau on Wednesday to review evidence and observe the construction of damaged buildings to help rebuild the community.
About 80 people attended a public meeting in Twizel on Sunday, where agencies spoke about how progress was being made in the Waitaki settlement, exactly one week after one of New Zealand’s largest wildfires swept through the village, destroying 48 structures and burned 5040 hectares.
JOHN BISSET / Stuff
About 80 people attended a public meeting in Twizel on Sunday to discuss the Lake Ōhau fire.
At the meeting hosted by the Waitaki District Council, New Zealand Fire & Emergency Incident Controller (Fenz) Phil Marsh said Fenz would hand over some control of the fire-damaged area to the council by noon Monday.
After Wednesday’s visit by fire engineers and scientists, insurance companies would be responsible for organizing contractors to clean up debris from properties where a claim has been made, he said.
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The village’s widely praised emergency plan had saved lives, and Marsh emphasized the need for everyone to come up with a plan, in the event of a fire.
JOHN BISSET / Stuff
Philip Marsh of Fire and Emergency New Zealand addresses the crowd at a public gathering on Twizel on Sunday.
“It is remarkable that there has been no loss of life,” he said.
The sheer amount of help from residents in the area and across New Zealand has been humiliating, he said.
Marsh said Fenz was happy with the progress of the fire suppression and, although more crews would leave the area on Monday, he would maintain a presence with fire watchers as there was still fire activity.
Twenty hotspots were addressed on Saturday and additional thermal imaging cameras were installed to detect more.
Around 20 millimeters of rain before 10 a.m. Sunday also helped, forecasting strong 80 km / h winds that had not occurred but still could, he said.
JOHN BISSET / Stuff
An aerial view showing fire damage around Lake Ōhau taken on October 8.
Waitaki Civil Defense Controller Neil Jorgensen said the village’s water and sewer systems would be put to work in the coming weeks and he expected power to be restored to Huxley Lodge sometime Sunday night.
From noon Monday, access to the end of the village will be allowed, but non-residents were asked to stay away, he said.
Mackenzie District Deputy Mayor James Leslie recognized the work of the Mackenzie and Waitaki communities, while Waitaki District Mayor Gary Kircher recognized the heroism of neighbors helping each other, Civil Defense and Fenz.
JOHN BISSET / Stuff
Hugh Spiers, left, and Dwayne Rennie, from Lake Ōhau Village at the meeting.
Members of the public who attended the meeting wanted to know about reducing fire risks on private land and what plans the municipalities had.
Kircher said the council was going through a spatial planning exercise that included looking at parks, playgrounds and what vegetation was appropriate.
He suggested that the Government should be contacted to subsidize wild vegetation and other vegetation on farms and other private properties.
Andrew Turton / Supplied
Lake Ōhau fire burns at 4.10 am.
When audience members suggested keeping greenways in areas green, to use as firebreaks, Leslie said it became a burden on fees when they run dry and need water.
The use of cell phone technology to alert residents during a disaster was also discussed.
The Barn at Killin bed and breakfast co-owner Hugh Spiers thought Sunday’s meeting was “a good idea as there had been such good communication and it was important to share that with the wider community.”
He thanked the community for support at the end of the meeting.
