Nelson fire: Authorities look at reducing farming fire risks
Tuesday, 5 March 2019
Measures to lower the fire risk from farm machinery will be discussed in the wake of the destructive Pigeon Valley blaze near Nelson.
The fire was sparked on February 5 when a contractor was using a disc plough on a dry paddock. It quickly spread into nearby forestry, eventually covering 2300 hectares before it was contained.
The forestry industry operates under strict Fire and Emergency NZ (Fenz) rules in extreme fire risk conditions, like those before the Pigeon Valley blaze. The rules include forestry crews having to stop work at 1pm and having a 1000-litre water tanker within 10 minutes of all harvesting operations.
Agricultural workers do not face such stringent rules.
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During the Pigeon Valley fire - which is still being worked on weeks after it started on February 5 - Civil Defence banned activities deemed high fire risk - including ploughing and discing of paddocks.
Fenz national rural manager Kevin O'Connor said Fenz was working with those in the agricultural industry.
'We will be discussing further opportunities for improvement around raising public awareness and practices, particularly with land managers across the country, including Federated Farmers and farming groups.'
The Fenz website checkitsalright.nz provided information about fire season status, general conditions and constraints landowners need to be mindful of.
Tasman Pine Forests Ltd chief operating officer Steve Chandler believed the agricultural industry not falling under similar guidelines to the forestry industry was something Fenz would need to consider.
He said one issue was the likely difficulty of communicating with every farmer 'whereas forestry is a well organised industry.'
Chandler said there was no question whether forestry companies followed Fenz guidelines.
'If we don't comply we aren't covered by insurance, we also won't put our people in extreme fire danger situations'
Federated Farmers national board member and arable chairwoman Karen Williams said Federated Farmers was meeting with Fenz to consider developing further guidelines and risk mitigation practices.
Williams said it was always worthwhile having discussions on ways to reduce risks but questioned how far restrictions should go.
'The biggest risk in dry seasons is motorists flicking cigarette butts, no one is suggesting we close our roads. Fireworks cause significant vegetation fires, but they're not banned.'
When asked if farmers should be under similar restrictions to the forestry industry during periods of extreme fire risk, Williams said the potential for igniting and sustaining a fire was quite different on open farm land.
'There is less combustible material in paddocks, and if flames somehow get away, farms have natural firebreaks in the form of lanes, creeks and bare land.
'In a forest, unless there are significant fire breaks, there is a plentiful and uninterrupted source of fuel that can spur a more rapid spread of flames.'
Williams said there needed to be careful thought around mitigating risk, 'not just the outright banning of activities that significantly affect people's livelihoods.'
Tasman mayor Richard Kempthorne did not want to comment on whether the agriculture sector should have been under stricter restrictions prior to the fire.
'However I do expect this is something that will need to be asked and looked at when the fire is over.'
Nelson MP Nick Smith said greater public awareness of fire risk was another issue that should be looked at.
A week before the Pigeon Valley fire broke out he called a press conference after seeing data from Niwa on soil moisture levels, the fire risk index and hearing how 'on edge' Fenz was facing some of the driest conditions the region had experienced.
Smith said New Zealand did not yet understand how severe the risk of fire was and questioned if there was enough education and public campaigns to raise awareness.
'Fenz have responded tremendously to this fire and are doing an excellent job but in hindsight the regulatory authorities should have been running advertisements in the region pointing out the level of risk.'
Smith said he did not want to detract from the 'tremendous job' Fenz had done believed there would be a number of lessons from the fire.
O'Connor said Fenz was continually running public awareness campaigns, and had significant media campaigns including print, radio and television.
'They're usually tailored to the current season. As the understanding of risky behaviours grow we will continue to develop our regular campaigns to better reach and communicate with relevant audiences.'