Dunedin crew ready to ‘do our bit’
NELSON: Dunedin firefighters arrived in Nelson last night to help fight the bushfires that have been ravaging the area for four days.
Ground crews were to work through the night after Nelson residents were evacuated when a second fire broke out in Walters Bluff yesterday.
Dunedin Central Fire Station senior station officer Cam McLachlan and seven colleagues arrived in Nelson about 8pm ready to help the firefighting effort.
They were keen to help their tired fellow firefighters, he said.
‘‘In this job you want to be part of it. We definitely want to do our bit.’’
A group of volunteer firefighters from Newlands in Wellington was also on its way last night.
A man has been arrested, near where the Walters Bluff fire broke out, for disorderly behaviour.
Police have not said if the arrest is related to the fire in the area.
Air operations ceased after reports of a drone at the Walters Bluff incident, the TasmanMarlborough Fire Area Facebook page reported yesterday.
At an official briefing from emergency services last night, Fire and Emergency NZ incident controller John Sutton said they had managed through the day without significant growth in the fire.
Deputy incident controller Grant Haywood said about 3pm an additional fire spread rapidly through Walters Bluff hill, threatening six homes.
The only property loss had been a deck on one of the properties, he said.
The fire is located in Sir Stanley Whitehead Reserve.
Nelson Mayor Rachel Reese urged visitors and residents to heed all precautions and warnings.
‘‘Really, the important message to all of the residents and visitors is this is an extremely dry period. We are now in drought, officially in drought. Please stay out of reserves, please be extra cautious about what you’re doing around your home,’’ she said.
‘‘The biggest challenges at the moment is getting the fire south of Richmond contained.’’ Five helicopters were in action on the hill yesterday and nearly 30 personnel from Canterbury councils were deployed to help.
People were asked to avoid Queen Elizabeth II Dr and stay away from the surrounding area.
Founders Heritage Park was closed and the NBus Atawhai service had been suspended.
A witness who works nearby, who was evacuated, said the blaze sparked up after 2.30pm.
‘‘One of the girls saw smoke and we got a call shortly afterwards to evacuate.
‘‘It’s a big blaze. There are five helicopters here.’’
Nigel Patterson, a volunteer fireman, was watering his brother’s house roof before they left.
Next door, a family was packing six cats and a rabbit into a car in order to drive 16km to stay with grandparents.
‘‘We started packing our things like photo albums [on Thursday] night,’’ one woman said.
‘‘We hoped we didn’t have to leave but when they say go, you don’t muck around.’’
Mal Grennell and his wife, Lisa Grennell, were among the few waiting outside the cordon, ready to help people move stock.
‘‘It’s good to be able to help, once we get through the road block,’’ Mr Grennell said.
They had a stock trailer in tow, in order to help anyone on a lifestyle block who might need help shifting animals.
Alongside Mr Grennell, Dion McGaveston was ready to help move as many animals as possible.
He did not want to sit at home while people needed help.
Ruth Bell, owner of Four Square Wakefield, said the whole situation was nerveracking for everyone.
‘‘A lot of people are buying water as there is ash in the supply and it is a bit murky.
‘‘But we have a really good team in Christchurch and we have ordered some extra water so we have enough to keep our locals going.’’
Ms Bell said the customers had been ‘‘a bit on edge’’.
‘‘We are usually a relaxed country bunch but it is starting to rattle a few people now,’’ she said.