Fire and Emergency New Zealand has declared a prohibited fire season across the entire Hauraki Gulf from 8am today, covering Great Barrier Island, Waiheke, Rakino, Kawau, Ponui and all other islands in the Gulf.
A prohibited season means no open-air fires are allowed and all existing fire permits are immediately suspended.
FENZ Counties Manukau district manager Geoff Purcell said the move follows forecast dry north-westerly winds and above-average temperatures that will rapidly elevate fire danger across the islands.
“With the temperature increasing, scrub and grasses will start drying out quickly,” he said. “Combined with periods of extended warm, dry spells, there’s a high risk of wildfires occurring and spreading fast.”
Purcell said increasing visitor numbers through December further increase that risk.
“We’ve had significant wildfires on the islands in previous Decembers caused by visitors lighting fires without knowledge of the surrounding environment,” he said. “These fires have spread and damaged property and the environment.”
He said the isolation of islands like Great Barrier, as well as Waiheke, Rakino and others, can also escalate the impact of any fire event.
“The islands are only accessible by sea, and only some have airports. This can make responding to wildfires or evacuations delayed and difficult,” Purcell said. “We want to do everything we can to decrease the possibility such wildfires in the islands this summer.”
More information is available at checkitsalright.nz.
