High rural fire cost ignites frustration
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As the cost of fires in rural areas soars and fires continue to be ignited, the patience of fire administrators in the Far North has run out.
"Some people just don’t seem to get it. The fire risk across Northland is extreme," says Far North principal rural fire officer Lance Johnston.
"Since the beginning of the year we have responded to a record 150 callouts to vegetation fires in rural areas and that is a disgrace.
Costs have now reached $1.3 million and continue to mount.
"Fire crews, all of them volunteers, are exhausted. Yet the calls continue to come despite a total fire ban since the end of December."
Despite massive publicity, there are still people lighting fires to burn rubbish and vegetation, he says.
"We are vigorously pursuing cost recoveries, prosecutions are being initiated and we are moving to develop instant fines to get the message across that lighting fires in the open will not be tolerated."
With streams and rivers running low the danger was intensified.
"We can’t take the quantities of water needed to fight fires from most of the rivers and streams because
of the drought conditions.
"This means transporting water to the fire scene which comes at a huge cost.
"Weather conditions in the district the week before last were very similar to those which led to the devastating fires in Victoria last year," Mr Johnston says.
"We had 70kmh winds and temperatures exceeding relative humidity levels – the perfect conditions for combustion and an out-of-control fire storm."
Mr Johnston says the fact it may have rained briefly in a particular area last week did not mean the fire risk was any less.
Steady rain over a prolonged period was required before fire restrictions would be lifted.
- © Fairfax NZ News
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