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Andrew Turton / Supplied
Lake Ōhau fire burns at 4.10 am. The fire destroyed the village of Lake Ōhau and destroyed at least 48 houses.
Wildfires destroyed more than 10,000 hectares of native bird habitat last summer, and the 2020 fire season already got off to an early and devastating start.
And 99 percent of fires are started by people who may not know the risks of destruction, says Internal Affairs Minister Jan Tinetti.
Fire and Emergency New Zealand has launched an online tool to help people understand fire hazard conditions.
The new tool on Fire and Emergency’s checkitsalright.nz website means people can check the local fire hazard status and get clear guidance on whether or not they need a permit to start a fire, Tinetti said.
READ MORE:
* Fireworks banned in parts of Christchurch after two more suspicious fires
* Fire in Port Hills of Christchurch caused by construction work
* Lake Ōhau fire: the ‘perfectly executed’ emergency plan that saved lives
Bejon Haswell / Stuff
Lake Ōhau Recovery Director Lichelle Guyan speaks in the village on Monday.
The tool is part of Fire and Emergency’s Summer Wildfire Prevention Campaign, which uses native birds to illustrate what is at stake.
“Last summer, wildfires destroyed more than 10,000 hectares of native bird habitat.”
A 2019 fire in Pigeon Valley, Tasman, destroyed 2,300 hectares of forest. At the end of last year, Napier also suffered a devastating wildfire.
New Zealand has experienced destructive fires early in the 2020 wildfire season, Tinetti said.
In August and September 2020, people in Aoraki / Mt Cook had to be evacuated and state roads were closed as firefighters battled a massive blaze that swept 3,500 hectares.
The following month, a fierce fire on Lake Ōhau devastated 5,040 hectares, destroyed 48 structures, melted water tanks and charred the landscape.
Bejon Haswell / Things / Things
Around 40 houses have been damaged in Lake Ōhau and some have managed to escape destruction, while houses meters away have been destroyed. Photos taken on the Ohau Fire Media Bus tour
In the past two weeks, two fires in Port Hills forced dozens of people to flee their homes as dry weather and high winds created worrisome fire conditions.
One of the Port Hills fires, which started Tuesday, December 15, is believed to have been accidentally started by a construction worker.
Tinetti said it is vital New Zealanders are aware of the fire hazards as they approach another hot season ahead.
Stacy Squires / Stuff
A helicopter drops water on a brush fire in Christchurch’s Port Hills on Tuesday, December 15.
“In New Zealand, 99 percent of wildfires are caused by people; it only takes a spark. Our actions make a difference, especially when the fire danger increases during the summer, ”said Tinetti.
The risk of frequent and destructive fires would only increase with climate change, Tinetti said.
“Nobody wants their property destroyed or their life interrupted by fire, but many of us don’t realize how risky some common activities are.”
Anyone thinking of starting a fire or engaging in spark-generating activities this summer can check the local fire hazard at checkitsalright.nz.
