High winds dash hopes of evacuated residents
RESIDENTS desperate to return home after being evacuated from Nelson’s fire-ravaged Pigeon Valley had their hopes dashed by gale-force winds.
Twelve days after the huge wildfire broke out, Civil Defence was to help more people get home this weekend but plans were scrapped yesterday after winds gusting up to 81kmh left the area too dangerous to enter. Restricted access to Golden Hills, Eves, Redwood and Teapot valleys has also been cancelled.
Civil Defence group controller Angus McKay said the decision to postpone was made after emergency services decided the risks were too great. Those who had hoped to have restricted access to their homes – along with remaining residents planning to get back to properties in
Pigeon Valley and Sharp roads – will have to wait a little longer.
‘‘The risk of significant flare-ups and our ability to evacuate people at short notice has been the primary consideration,’’ McKay said. ‘‘Police and Defence Force staff will maintain cordons in the area and Fire and Emergency NZ (FENZ) staff will be monitoring the fireground . . . We are experiencing high winds, which have elevated the risk so today is not the day for us to be putting people into areas with elevated risks.’’
The situation would be reviewed later in the hope of getting people home today, a Civil Defence spokeswoman said.
On Friday residents were allowed to return to about 40 properties in the fire-affected valleys. About 98 properties – home to about 272 people – remain evacuated.
While the 2300-hectare blaze is now contained, fire chiefs said it is still yet to be fully brought under control. As of Friday around 145 firefighters were on the ground trying to manage it, along with nine helicopters and 10 smoke chasers – people hunting for hot spots and plumes of smoke.
Civil Defence experts were considering using explosives to fell dangerous, fire-affected trees, and Nelson-Tasman group controller Roger Ball said the dangers on the ground remained high, despite the progress being made.
A police spokesman said: ‘‘While we understand residents in the fire affected areas who remain evacuated will be frustrated . . . the decision has been made for the safety of everyone involved.’’
FENZ area commander Grant Haywood urged those already back in their homes to remain vigilant and be ready for evacuation at short notice.