Total fire ban in North
Looming heatwave and unpermitted fires in dry summer spark declaration
Atotal fire ban is now in force across Northland and anyone caught lighting rubbish and scrub fires can face a two-year jail sentence and a maximum fine of $300,000.
Fire and Emergency New Zealand declared the total fire ban from midnight following a heatwave that brought record temperatures to many parts of the country and a spate of unpermitted fires in Northland recently.
Most of the fires that were lit without a permit were in the mid and Far North. The region has experienced a hot and dry summer so far with little rain since about Christmas.
“We’re reaching our trigger points. It’s getting very dry and we’re noticing that fires are escaping, they are getting harder to put out and so we’re erring on the side of caution,” principal rural fire officer Northland Myles Taylor said.
He said any fires now would be extremely dangerous.
A total fire ban means people can not apply for a permit to light rubbish and scrub fires.
Temperatures are expected to be in the mid-30s in most parts of Northland
We’re reaching our trigger points. It’s getting very dry Myles Taylor, principal rural fire officer
this week as a result of hot air coming from across the Tasman coupled with warm waters in New Zealand, a high pressure system bringing settled weather and more sunshine hours.
Several rubbish and scrub fires were lit in Northland after a restricted fire season was put in place on December 1 but so far no one has been prosecuted.
That’s despite the Fire and Emergency New Zealand racking up a bill of more than $200,000 to put them out.
The latest scrub fire was at Giles Rd, near Horeke, which started on Saturday afternoon.
Four fire appliances and two helicopters tackled the blaze on Sunday.
There’s no indication yet on the cause of the fire which had burnt 65ha by Sunday.
A Fire and Emergency spokesperson said firefighters were still at the scene yesterday.
Before that large scrub fire, a wildfire sparked by fireworks last Wednesday came within metres of engulfing Moturua Island in the eastern Bay of Islands, which has reintroduced locally extinct birds. Fortunately, the northwesterly wind blew the flames and embers away from Moturua. Only days before that, a blaze started by an explosion set off on a Bay of Islands beach swept through part of a historic reserve known for its large kiwi population. The fire started at Rangihoua Bay, on the Purerua Peninsula, and quickly spread up a steep hillside in Rangihoua Heritage Park.
People can check their local fire status at www.checkitsalright.nz
Northland’s scorching weekend weather is set to continue into the last week of January.
The region will continue to feel the effects of the Australian heatwave this week as MetService said Kerikeri and Paihia were forecast to reach 30C, with the rest of Northland hitting temperatures in the high 20s.
Last week Kerikeri recorded the highest temperature in Northland, reaching 29C on Wednesday, 26.6C on Sunday and 29.5C yesterday.
Whanga¯ rei hit 25.9C on Sunday and reached 27.9C yesterday. Kaitaia had 25.3C on Sunday and 26.5 yesterday.
Yesterday saw some record high temperatures in other parts of the country, with mid 30s in parts of the South Island and 37C in parts of Napier and Hastings and 36C in the Marlborough Sounds.
Alongside high temperatures, MetService said this was going to be a week full of “lots of sun” throughout the day in Northland, with morning and evening cloud.
MetService Meteorologist Tui McInnes said the heatwave was caused by hot air moving over a warm Tasman Sea. “As the air moves over the Tasman Sea, it stays warm. Combining this with calm and settled conditions due to a high over New Zealand, the sun is able to knock those temperatures up a few more degrees.”
McInnes said it was important people were sun smart, stay hydrated and keep an eye out for vulnerable members of the community and pets.
MetService said a minor temperature change will occur over the weekend, with slightly cooler temperatures forecast.