Far North fire one of NZ's most complex, recovery could take up to 15 years
Saturday, 8 January 2022
The Far North fire, still not contained after 22 days, is one of the most challenging and complex fires in New Zealand in decades, according to firefighters.
The 2400 hectare fire started in Waiharara, north of Kaitāia, on December 18 and has twice forced the evacuation of the seaside settlement of Kaimaumau.
While no buildings have been lost, a significant amount of the Kaimaumau wetlands – home to endangered flora and fauna – has been affected.
Fire and Emergency incident controller Nigel Dravitzki said the fire is very complex and difficult to contain due to the terrain of wetlands, sand and peat – which burns underground.
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“In a forest environment, you can almost predict how a fire is going to go, but it’s very unpredictable [here].”
While heavy machinery is being used to help clear containment lines, in a lot of places firefighters are having to use hand tools to do the work, Dravitzki said.
“I think we’re going to be here for a while yet.”
The fire’s location at the top of the country also means the winds are highly variable, he said.
“The wind direction can change in the blink of an eye.”
The blaze is comparable to some of New Zealand’s biggest wildfires – such as the 5000ha Lake Ōhau fire in 2020, the 2300ha Nelson Pigeon Valley fire in 2019 and the 2000ha Port Hills fires in 2017.
Dravitzki, who is based in Manawatū and has been on eight international firefighting deployments, said the fire size is still relatively small by international standards.
“But for us, it’s still a very large fire and very complex. I haven’t been in a wetland fire like this before.”
While Kaimaumau village is safe, for now, both Kaimaumau and the northern areas of Houhora and Pukenui could be at risk from the fire if conditions change – for example, if the wind picks up – Dravitzki said.
An investigation into the cause of the fire is still ongoing.
More than 100 firefighters involved
More than 100 people from around the country are helping to control the blaze, including up to 64 firefighters on the ground.
Dravitzki said the fire response is unique for its co-operation between different agencies, with firefighters from Fire and Emergency, the Defence Force, Department of Conservation and forestry contractors all working together.
There is still capacity among Kiwi firefighters, should the fire get worse or another fire start elsewhere, he said.
Due to Northland being full of holidaymakers, some firefighters have been staying at a makeshift tent village nearby, while others have stayed with locals.
Local iwi Ngai Takoto has co-ordinated the catering, using local businesses, and is involved in a governance group for the fire area.
One of the biggest risks to crews is heat stroke and dehydration, said Fire and Emergency safety advisor Brian Keown.
“It’s bloody hot, you can’t say anything else … This is an arduous job with reasonably long hours, and they are doing a heap of physical work.”
Biodiversity restoration could take 10 to 15 years – DOC
It could take 10 to 15 years for the ecosystem to recover from the fire, said Department of Conservation national fire manager Aroha Hughes, who is from Tauranga.
The fire is burning through Kaimaumau wetlands – a scientific reserve which is home to endangered plants, fish, lizards and birds including a rare sun orchid, the black mudfish, the Northland green gecko and the Australasian bittern (matuku).
The land is managed by both DOC and local iwi Ngai Takoto, and includes a number of wāhi tapu (sacred) sites.
Given the fire is still not contained, it is hard to know what the impact on these species will be, although scores of Northland green gecko have been spotted in the area, Hughes said.
Many of the birds will move away but, with just 10 per cent of New Zealand’s wetlands now remaining, there is a limit on where they can go to, she said.
In wetlands, fires are a natural process which help some plants regenerate, the sun orchid among them.
However, human intervention and climate change means these fires are happening more frequently, making it hard for native species to recover, Hughes said.
The area is also full of weeds like hakea and wattle, which also regenerate in a fire but grow much quicker than native species, she said.
A recovery plan is being developed so the reserve can be restored to its former glory, including managing weeds and building resilience in the community, Hughes said.
Restoration of the wetlands is likely to take 10 to 15 years, she said.
“Some birds may come back first but for our ecosystem to be back at what it was it’s 10 to 15 years … Some birds will have to wait for their food source to come back first.”
Some neighbouring farmers have criticised DOC for not cutting firebreaks through the wetlands, which have had four major fires since the 1940s.
But Hughes questioned if fire breaks – which usually involve clearing swathes of land and continually mowing them – would be a sustainable use of the land.
The fire breaks would also reduce the amount of wetlands in New Zealand even further and could impact the biodiversity.
“It would be a backwards step in terms of what we’re working towards, not just for DOC but fo the community.”
Hughes said a better approach could be planting low-burning native plants, which could be part of the restoration plan which could attract Jobs for Nature funding.
“There’s lots of opportunity for good [in the restoration] such as jobs locally and an opportunity for people to connect more with the land and their backyard.”
A Mayoral Relief Fund has been set up to support people impacted by the blaze.
People wishing to donate to the fund can make payment s online or at any ASB Bank branch by quoting account number 12 3244 0022509 04. People wishing to apply to the fund can download an application form or email John.Carter@fndc.govt.nz.
Other signifiant New Zealand fires
The Lake Ōhua fire in October 2020 destroyed more than 5000ha of land and 46 houses. A crossarm failure on a power pole was found to be at fault.
The Nelson Pigeon Valley fires which started February 2019 burnt 2300ha and caused more than 1000 people to be evacuated. It took more than two months to control the blaze, caused by sparks from a disc plough.
Christchurch's Port Hills fires in 2017 were caused by two fires which merged, burning through 2000ha of bush and 11 houses, causing about $20 million in losses.
The Boxing Day fires of 2000 in Blenheim’s Wither Hills burnt more than 6000ha, with a last-minute wind change saving the town.
There were four fires which caused the February 1999 Alexandra fires, which also burnt more than 6000ha.
New Zealand’s largest fire is believed to be the 1946 Taupō forest fire, where a discarded cigarette butt caused a 14,000ha fire.