Fire and Emergency New Zealand has announced all islands of the Hauraki Gulf, including Kawau Island, have entered a prohibited fire season until further notice.
A prohibited fire season means no fires are allowed in the open and all fire permits are suspended.
Announcing the total fire ban, Fire and Emergency New Zealand’s Community Risk Manager for Counties Manukau, Thomas Harre said drier conditions were increasing the chance of a fire spreading rapidly through the light scrub and grass found across the gulf islands.
“We’ve had a relatively wet winter and warm spring which has led to exceptional growth,” he says.
“Now, with the temperature increasing scrub and grasses will start drying out quickly. Combined with periods of extended dry and windy spells, there’s a high risk of wildfires occurring and spreading fast.”
Mr Harre said the risk only becomes higher with the increase of visitors to the islands in December.
“We’ve had significant wildfires on the islands in previous Decembers caused by visitors lighting fires without knowledge of the surrounding environment. These fires have spread and damaged property and the environment.”
He says the risk of significant fires is increased due to the islands’ isolation.
“The islands are only accessible by sea, and only some have airports. This can make responding to wildfires or evacuations delayed and difficult. We want to do everything we can to decrease the possibility such wildfires appear in the islands this summer.”
The prohibition encompasses all islands of the Hauraki Gulf Islands, including Kawau Island, in the Waitematā District.
People should visit www.checkitsalright.nz before lighting any type of fire anywhere over summer, to check they are allowed to in their current fire season.
