Far North fire: Blaze creeps towards SH1, locals told to keep bags packed

Wednesday, 19 January 2022

The Waiharara fire near Kaimaumau is the biggest vegetation fires seen in decades in Te Tai Tokerau. District Manager Wipari Henwood explains why it’s such a complex operation. (Video first published January 19.)

A massive blaze in the Far North has moved closer to State Highway 1, and nearby residents should be ready to evacuate if needed, firefighters say.

About 1:30pm on Wednesday, ground crews and a helicopter had to extinguish a grass fire on Far North Rd after the Waiharara/Kaimaumau blaze spread.

Incident controller Wayne Martin said a wind change reignited the fire in a closely monitored area.

“It was within the existing fireground, near SH1 but not on the roadside. Motorists would have noticed smoke drifting on the road and our crews working nearby,” he said in a statement.

This screengrab from Fire and Emergency footage shows the scale of the Waiharara fire, and its proximity to avocado orchards. The fire continues to burn uncontrolled a month after it started.

* Far North fire: Winds continue to cause havoc as evacuees allowed home

* Cyclone Cody: High winds cause flare-ups at huge Far North scrub fire

This image from a Fire and Emergency NZ helicopter video shows helicopters working to douse flare-ups in the Waiharara fire.

“The fireground has a perimeter of 43km and variable conditions so we expect fire activity all the time, and we are resourced to deal with it quickly, as we did today.”

The flare-up was a reminder the fire was still active, with more work to go to contain it, Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ) said.

As of Tuesday, the fire covered 2764 hectares. It had grown by more than 200 hectares since Monday.

“Incident controller Wayne Martin is asking residents living near the fireground between Kaimaumau and Houhora to stay vigilant and be ready to evacuate if a sudden wind shift or adverse conditions push the fire across the containment lines,” FENZ said.

“It’s a good idea to keep a bag packed with a change of clothes, essential medication and important family documents, and make sure that everyone in your household knows what your evacuation plan is.”

On Wednesday there were 63 firefighters on the ground with heavy machinery, and four helicopters.

Their priorities have been extending the containment lines, digging out hotspots, and putting out flare-ups, and a drone crew will monitor the blaze tonight.

The fire has been burning for over a month.

It began on December 18, and has been difficult to tackle thanks to unpredictable winds, including the effects of Cyclone Cody.

Its effects on the area have been profound, with Department of Conversation’s national fire manager Aroha Hughes believing it could take 10 to 15 years for the ecosystem to recover.

The blaze has meant two evacuations of the seaside town of Kaimaumau and local iwi Ngāi Takoto’s wāhi tapu (culturally sacred) sites have been damaged.