Fires in New Zealand
Bushfiresin New Zealand
3January 2006
Fire-fighters are continuing to douse the remaining hot spots burning afteryesterday’s 15 ha bush fire in Paihia, Bay of Islands.
Overnight, 30 firefighters from the Department of Conservation (DOC) and NewZealand Fire Service contained the fire that was first reported just before noonyesterday.
Up to seven fire appliances and three helicopters brought the fire under controlby mid-afternoon.
The fire, 2 km from Paihia, was in a forest on private land within 1 km of DOCland, which meant DOC was responsible for containing it.
The fire came within a few metres of a reserve where DOC is trying to improvenumbers of the endangered North Island brown kiwi. It was possible some kiwi hadbeen affected by the fire, but there is no information to say whether theirhabitat had been damaged. The fire didn’t get onto any of the DOC land where thekiwi programme is running but it is possible their habitat stretches onto theprivate land which was on fire.
Also a few houses were threatened during the blaze. The Fire Service receivedbetween 30 and 40 calls notifying it of the fire. One call came from Kerikeri,about 20 km away .
DOC is unsure of the cause of the fire and they are still investigating.
