Nelson bush fire: Home comforts in Wakefield as 'long haul' fire fight continues

Tuesday, 12 February 2019

Residents in all evacuated areas were permitted access for two hours on Tuesday to care for animals, check properties and collect essential supplies.

This was overseen by emergency personnel to ensure everyone stayed safe.

Work on the possibility of conditional re-entry continues as a top priority.

Meanwhile, Wakefield is showing signs of returning to normality as the town's evacuated residents woke in their own homes for the first time in several days.

Civil Defence allowed residents to return to the town, 25km south-west of Nelson city, on Monday night.  

At 9am on Tuesday the town was quiet, with light traffic and few people out on the streets. 

A sign saying 'Welcome back Wakefield' has been placed outside Cafe Rhubarbe on Edward St, with about five locals and three workers in blue overalls were having a coffee outside.

Cafe owner Michelle Agnew said they had their normal trade, but with a few more firemen, policeman and military personnel than usual.  

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She said the locals who were there were their usual chatty selves. 

'One man was relieved to be out of a tent with his two dogs, and back into his own house.'

Civil Defence controller Jim Frater said the re-entry to Wakefield went smoothly on Monday night, but remained conditional depending on the danger of the fire. 

Acting Tasman District Police Commander Inspector Zane Hooper said 25 police and 40 New Zealand Defence Force staff had been in Wakefield overnight, with numbers being reduced at 7am this morning. 

Residents in Redwood Valley, Eves Valley, and the Pigeon Valley are still cordoned off from their homes, with only short-term access to their properties at this stage. 

Frater said Civil Defence was conferring with Fire and Emergency New Zealand to see whether a similar return could be made for those in the valleys, with a decision to be potentially made later on Tuesday. 

'The valley areas are different. 

'Wakefield was evacuated because there was the threat of a fire, in the other areas the fire was real.'

Frater said discussions were also being had about extending the state of emergency in the area, currently due to expire at 8am on Wednesday morning. 

FENZ fire controller Trevor Mitchell said fire crews had another good night, with no major flare-ups to deal with in the evening. 

Mitchell said the nature of the fight was changing as the fire moved underground, with drones picking up multiple hotspots with infrared cameras overnight. 

'While you can't see anything, there's still hot areas there. 

'In the main area in Pigeon Valley, it's going to be like that for some weeks, or even months … it's a long haul for our people, and for the communities.' 

Mitchell said the amount of helicopters would be scaled back, with ground crews being more effective dealing with underground hotspots. 

Tasman District mayor Richard Kempthorne said people needed to aware the effects of the fire would be long-term. 

'The initial surge of activity becomes a long grind as the recovery kicks in.

'There will be a huge amount to do, both in the forests and also for people on their properties.' 

Ministry for Primary Industries regional controller Charlotte Austin said animals in Pigeon Valley had been visited overnight.

Austin said all had been doing well, with some brought into the showgrounds in Richmond. 

Federated Farmers had also opened its feed line to support farmers who had been affected, for those short of feed or grazing space, or had feed to donate.

Frater said the Civil Defence Centre had now been moved to Richmond New Life Church today, and said it would remain open 'as long as it is needed'. ​