Rain no dampener to fire risk

Rain in the Far North last week did little to ease fire risk conditions that firefighters are likening to those in Australia.

Kaikohe received nearly half its normal February rainfall on Northland Anniversary Day, while Kaitaia and Kerikeri received nearly one quarter of their normal rain for the month.

Far North principal fire officer Lance Johnston says the rain wasn’t enough to soak more than a few centimetres of soil and would have little, if any, impact on the fire risk.

Mr Johnston said last week that at least three to four days with similar amounts of rain were needed to lower the risk, but weather forecasters were predicting long, dry spells.

"With warm, dry easterlies predicted this week the impact of the weekend rain will very quickly dissipate and we will be back to square one."

The rain on February 1 also failed to douse a fire that had destroyed more than 80ha of scrub and forced the evacuation of three homes at Taheke, near Kaikohe, since it started on January 25.

"The rain certainly assisted, but the amount was insufficient to be of real benefit."

Firefighters had been close to extinguishing the fire, but a flare-up the weekend before last resulted in another 0.5ha of scrub going up in flames on the edge of the main fire area.

Fire crews were only able to leave the fire scene on Monday last week, seven days after the fire began.

"The fire was allowed to continue to burn and was simply monitored over about 10ha where access to both the land and water was very difficult and where there was little vegetation value."

The Taheke fire was one of the bigger blazes fire brigades have fought this summer.

"At the peak there were around 30 to 35 firefighters on the ground at any one time."

Rural fire parties, New Zealand Fire Service teams and Forest Protection Services firefighters from Kaikohe, Okaihau, Towai, Wekaweka, Karikari, Taupo Bay, Rawhiti and Whangarei attended the fire.

"Three helicopters were involved at the peak and one helicopter when it flared up at the weekend."

Fire crews were stretched further when they were called to a fire that destroyed 2ha of pine
forest at Matawaia, south-east of Kaikohe.

"The Pipiwai Rd fire involved three helicopters initially. One was later diverted to the flare-up at Taheke."

Authorities are investigating the causes of both fires.

- © Fairfax NZ News