Reluctant evacuee wants to keep fighting
A farmer who spent three days protecting his properties from the Tasman district wildfire is frustrated that he had to leave.
Dorje Strang was among the few remaining Teapot Valley residents, on the southeast edge of the massive fire, who were evacuated around 11am yesterday.
Strang said he had had little sleep since the fire started on Tuesday afternoon, and told Radio New Zealand that his ‘‘clothes would have to be on fire, probably’’ before he would go.
But as the flames moved to within about a kilometre of his Bell Rd properties yesterday morning, emergency services said it was time to leave.
Strang said it was frustrating for residents who had been preparing a defence against fire since it started.
‘‘A lot of the landowners are highly competent . . . they’ve been preparing stuff, helping out their neighbours, putting up firebreaks.
‘‘It’s quite frustrating, given some of the people have been very active fighting the fire.’’
On his property, Strang had spent the past three days wetting the area down, and trying to clear away any sources of fuel for the fire from the house.
He praised contractors who had been working tirelessly to set up firebreaks, and the fire crews tackling the massive blaze.
The fire flared up and moved towards Wakefield on Thursday night. While yesterday morning was relatively calm, ‘‘everyone’s really nervous about the afternoon wind, that’s the scary thing’’, Strang said.
‘‘We’re just getting worn down by it. You just know it’s going to go on for ages. You can smell the smoke – it’s pretty horrible.
‘‘There’s a bit of fatigue. All the firefighters, truck drivers, the helicopter pilots – they’ve done some hours as well, they’re doing a great job. ‘‘
Stock in the valley have been looked after as best as possible in the situation.
‘‘They’ve got to be in a place relatively low in vegetation, but they have to have water and feed as well,’’ Strang said.
Another evacuated Teapot Valley resident, Graham Cole, told RNZ that he was given 10 minutes to evacuate yesterday morning. Asked what he grabbed, he said: ‘‘My (vintage) car. And my boat. Just my toys – bugger the toothbrush.’’
At the cordon on Teapot Valley Rd yesterday morning, a group of evacuated residents waited while contractors, police and air force personnel staffed the perimeter.
Some talked about how they needed to get back in to check on their properties, feed stock and get medication.
‘‘A lot of the landowners are highly competent . . . they’ve been preparing stuff, helping out their neighbours, putting up firebreaks.’’ Dorje Strang