Backyard fires concern Fenz
Well-meaning New Plymouth residents are putting firefighters at risk of breaking their lockdown isolation bubble with backyard burn-offs, fire authorities warn.
Firefighters around the country attended 750 rubbish fires during the alert level 4 lockdown between March 23 and April 22 – up from 390 from the same period the previous year, a Fire and Emergency New Zealand spokesman said.
Residents were calling 111 because of the amount of smoke being emitted, even though the fires may have been permitted and under control.
The callouts were forcing firefighters to leave their isolation bubble and risk potential exposure to Covid-19, he said.
While Fenz was responsible for managing how and when residents could light a rubbish fire, the amount of smoke generated by the fire still had to conform to local authority bylaws, he said.
Fenz Taranaki area manager David Utumapu said the number of callouts for rubbish fires in the region was not readily available.
‘‘But anecdotally we have had increases in the number of times crews have attended urban backyard fires during the lockdown.’’
Utumapu said it seemed more people were burning plastic and cardboard in their backyard, which would normally have been collected for recycling.
‘‘Our worry is that our volunteer and career crews will be exposed to the Covid-19 virus outside their bubbles unnecessarily.’’
The New Plymouth District Council and the Taranaki Regional Council have banned burning household rubbish, or green waste on urban properties less than 5000 square metres, but allow barbecues, hangi and braziers.
Scott Willson went through his first day in a new job without a handshake and didn’t even get a whole day in the office.
The South Taranaki District Council’s newly appointed business development manager started his new role on March 23, just days before the country went into alert level 4 lockdown at 11:59pm on March 25.
‘‘On my first day in the office all the social distancing measures were already in place, so I went the whole day without a handshake and nobody came within two metres of me, that was weird,’’ he said.
After Prime Minister Jacinda
Ardern announced the full lockdown, most staff who weren’t part of the pandemic response, including Willson, went home.
Despite the odd start, Willson said he was enjoying the new job.
‘‘As settled as I feel in the role, I’m really looking forward to being in there and connecting with the team and getting out into the business community as well.’’
Scott and his wife, Monica, moved to Opunake two-and-a-half years ago from Wellington for the lifestyle, he said.
They set up an art gallery, Kete Aronui, and a picture framing business.
The couple have two children, Avery, 3, and Farah, 1, who has just started walking.
‘‘That changed the logistics. We’ve spent a lot of time chasing kids,’’ he said.
The task ahead in his new role has changed dramatically but Willson is impressed with how quickly the business community in Taranaki and the organisations supporting them have started working together.
‘‘Certainly the economy is in a different space to what it was when I accepted the role, but there are some opportunities that will come from this.
‘‘There will probably be a few new ways of working, people being able to work remotely.
‘‘It brings opportunities for Taranaki as it rates pretty highly in how people want to live.’’
David Utumapu