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As weather conditions are set to become drier and warmer in the coming months, the risk of fire danger is growing, Kiwis have been warned.
Auckland Council is urging Kiwis to take extreme care with fire risk, after fire ripped through vegetation at the remote Karekare Beach last week.
The fire incident has highlighted just how dry parts of our region are right now and is a reminder of the increased risk of fire danger as the weather heats up, according to Fire and Emergency NZ principal rural fire officer Thomas Harre.
“The heavy rainfall we experienced across Auckland in December 2018 has resulted in significant vegetation growth across the region,” Harre said. “When this growth starts to dry out, there is an increased risk of fires.”
“Remote locations are difficult to access in an emergency and this response shows how our agencies acted quickly and worked well together,” council regional parks manager Rachel Kelleher noted. “Unfortunately it also highlights that the summertime fire risk can be even harder to manage when access is restricted.
“Remember that no open fires and solid fuel BBQs are allowed on regional park land,” she added.
