<![CDATA[Lake Okareka Volunteer Fire Brigade

<![CDATA[Lake Okareka Volunteer Fire Brigade - Media]]>Wed, 08 Apr 2026 23:16:03 +1200Weebly<![CDATA[Kiwi Firefighters Use Shovels And Rakes On 'Arduous' Aus Bushfires]]>Fri, 30 Jan 2026 11:00:00 GMThttps://www.lakeokarekafire.co.nz/media/kiwi-firefighters-use-shovels-and-rakes-on-arduous-aus-bushfires

Two Kiwi firefighters have described the "heartbreaking" conditions on the ground as they help crews battle severe bushfires across Victoria.

Twenty-two firefighters responded to a call for assistance from Australian officials after record-high temperatures in the region led to a spate of out-of-control fires.

In a changing of the guard, a second group of Kiwis will be heading over, as the first team of 22 were set to return home on Monday.

Taskforce Leader Phil Muldoon said efforts looked a bit different in the extreme Australian conditions, saying New Zealand's usual use of water was "a bit of a luxury over here".

Muldoon described digging a handline to contain a five-hectare bushfire caused by lightning on day one of the job. "Arduous is the correct term, certainly hard work [with] long, long days in very remote locations."

Roger Nelson (left) and Phil Muldoon (right).

Liason Officer Roger Nelson described their work as "a lot of hard physical work with shovels and rakes". Nelson acknowledged the Victoria conditions, saying "temperature has been up there, but the wind has been playing ball".

The Kiwi firefighters have been staying in tents at a fire camp in Tallangatta, close to the New South Wales border. Nelson said the sight of burnt townships and farms was "absolutely heartbreaking".

"The average guy who's got a farm, and he's had a fire go through, it's quite sad when you see the aftermath... and to see what is remaining and how they pick themselves up again and go forward," said Muldoon. The pair said extreme conditions were easing up at the tail end of their deployment. "The fire activity has settled down a fair bit, fortunately," Muldoon said.

]]><![CDATA[First Week Wrapped: Kiwi Crews Supporting Major Victorian Fire]]>Sun, 25 Jan 2026 11:00:00 GMThttps://www.lakeokarekafire.co.nz/media/first-week-wrapped-kiwi-crews-supporting-major-victorian-fire

The Alpha deployment team has wrapped up their first week on deployment in Victoria, where crews continue working around the clock on a fire that’s burnt more than 112,000 hectares and remains under “Watch and Act” conditions. With hot, windy weather forecast, the focus is firmly on protecting communities and strengthening containment lines.

Phil found himself on 7 News this week, giving Ōkāreka and New Zealand a solid showing while supporting the effort across Mt Lawson State Park and the Wabba Wilderness area.

The fire has destroyed 16 homes and over 90 structures. It is spreading slowly in a southerly direction. Extreme, hot, and windy weather forecast for late January 2026 is threatening to increase fire activity.

The fire is managed from the Tallangatta Incident Control Centre, supported by approximately 100 Incident Management personnel from Victoria, New South Wales, ACT, Tasmania and Queensland. International personnel from Canada and New Zealand have also joined crews on the fireground.

Approximately 450 firefighters from FFMVic, CFA and interstate partners are on the line, supported by heavy-machinery and aircraft.

]]><![CDATA[New Zealand Firefighters sent to help fight Australia's bush fires]]>Mon, 19 Jan 2026 07:11:39 GMThttps://www.lakeokarekafire.co.nz/media/new-zealand-firefighters-sent-to-help-fight-australias-bush-fires

Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ) has sent 22 firefighters to Victoria, Australia to help fight the catastrophic bushfires. There are currently ten active bushfires — including four major ones burning under extreme conditions. They departed on Monday morning and will return to New Zealand on 2 February.

Victoria is experiencing extreme weather conditions with multiple bushfires, which have killed one person, caused extensive damage to homes, property and the environment. Emergency Management Victoria formally requested help from FENZ last week.

FENZ said the contingent being sent consists of 20 firefighters experienced in arduous conditions, and two liaison officers. One of the crews is from the Department of Conservation, one is from the forestry industry and the other two crews comprise volunteer firefighters from FENZ brigades around the country.

Assistant National Commander Ken Cooper said the firefighters' tasks would be confirmed when they reach Melbourne, but they are equipped and ready to stay at a fire camp in a remote location. Fire and Emergency has international agreements to provide mutual assistance, and regularly deploys personnel overseas to Australia, Pacific Islands and North America. "We assess each request to ensure that we have the capacity to send appropriate personnel without compromising our ability to maintain full capability to respond to incidents at home," Cooper said.

]]><![CDATA[Motorhome Catches Fire On SH5]]>Thu, 15 Jan 2026 11:00:00 GMThttps://www.lakeokarekafire.co.nz/media/motorhome-catches-fire-on-sh5

Emergency services attend a house-bus fire on State Highway 5 near Tumunui.

Flames ripped through a “house-bus” on State Highway 5 near Tumunui this morning, destroying the motorhome and prompting an emergency response. Fire crews arrived to find the vehicle “fully involved” and quickly extinguished the blaze.

Fire and Emergency New Zealand's Northern Communication Centre shift manager, Josh Pennefather, said everyone was out of the motorhome and no injuries were reported. Pennefather said crews remain on scene monitoring for hotspots while a tow truck was arranged to remove the burnt-out vehicle from the highway. Firefighters from Rotorua attended the incident, supported by a Lake Ōkāreka water tanker.

Police said they received a report of a vehicle on fire on SH5 about 10am and are assisting with traffic management while emergency services work at the scene.

A spokesperson for NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi said the road reopened after being closed for almost two hours. The road was operating under stop-go traffic management, with motorists advised to expect delays and allow extra time for their journeys.

]]><![CDATA[Rotorua Hit By Strong Winds As Crews Respond]]>Wed, 12 Nov 2025 11:00:00 GMThttps://www.lakeokarekafire.co.nz/media/rotorua-hit-by-strong-winds-as-crews-respond

Fire and Emergency crews were called to 26 weather-related incidents in the Bay of Plenty overnight and power was out to thousands of properties.

Evidence of the strong winds could be seen across the Bay, with trees and branches scattered across streets and footpaths. The 26 callouts were all between 6pm-8am, a Fire and Emergency spokeswoman said, and were mostly for downed trees.

A shed was blown over in Rotorua and a tarpaulin came loose on a roof in Tauranga. There were also several reports of roofs lifting in Rotorua.

Rotorua Lakes Council said on its website that it had received multiple calls about trees and branches coming down in the “wild” weather. “The northeasterlies also pushed lake weed towards the lakefront, resulting in a fairly large stranding. “[The] council and its partners will work on a plan to deal with the lake weed, and contractors, who have been busy since the early hours of the morning, are continuing to clear sites today.”

A Unison spokesperson said about 7000 Rotorua customers were impacted by outages overnight, including parts of Ngongotahā, Fairy Springs, Lake Ōkāreka, from Titikere to Ōwhata, and areas north of Lake Rotoiti. Just over 700 customers in the Rotorua area were still experiencing unplanned outages this morning. “We understand how disruptive power outages can be, and our crews are working as quickly and safely as possible to get all customers reconnected.”

MetService recorded peak northeasterly gusts of 83km/h in Rotorua about midnight.

]]><![CDATA[Devastating Speed & Nearly 3000 Hectares of National Park Lost]]>Mon, 10 Nov 2025 11:00:00 GMThttps://www.lakeokarekafire.co.nz/media/devastating-speed-nearly-3000-hectares-of-national-park-lost

Fire and Emergency crews in Tongariro National Park will be back at the scene of wildfires, hoping for more rain to keep hotspots damp. Favourable conditions on Monday meant the fire appeared to be extinguished.

Thermal imaging drones were expected to be used overnight to check for hotspots after fires that had turned more than 2800 hectares of land to ash.

MetService forecasts rain clearing in region from early Tuesday morning and then fine, aside from isolated showers. Incident Controller Nigel Dravitzki told Checkpoint the favourable conditions had helped reduce the fire, but there was still a lot of work to be done.

"Visibility it looks out, but we are doing thermal imaging and drones over it tonight to see if we can pick up any activity or hots spots we can't see." He said this type of fire would require walking the perimeter edge and digging up hot spots to confirm there was no fire activity. "It is tough grunt work," he said. Next steps were working on how to manage the situation going forward, he said.

Fire and Emergency NZ have shared new photos of the Tongariro fire. "Our people continue to work tirelessly alongside our partner agencies battling the Tongariro wildfire," a spokesperson said. Though the cause of the fire was yet to be determined, "this fire shows the devastating speed, aggression and destruction fire has on our whenua," they added.

Meanwhile, an iwi representative said the rāhui over the scene will give the whenua time to breathe. Two rāhui have been put in place, covering the Tongariro Alpine Crossing track and any burnt areas.

Te Rūnanganui o Ngāti Hikairo ki Tongariro representative Te Ngaehe Wanikau said: "The restoration is not about excluding, it's not prohibiting. "Wanikau said the restorative rāhui was not in the usual sense of rāhui, which happens after a tragedy. A restorative rāhui was about focusing on bringing the area back to what it should be, he said. The "greatest" fear was the burnt area going into the "too hard basket and then we see yellow flowers of broom all over our mountain."

The rāhui was an opportunity for "everyone and anyone" to focus on making it a restorative project that showed what the area could look like if the problem was dealt with. He said they would work with agencies to determine the extent of the damage.

]]><![CDATA[Fire Crews Battle Blaze At Popular Rotorua Tourist Attraction]]>Mon, 03 Nov 2025 11:00:00 GMThttps://www.lakeokarekafire.co.nz/media/fire-crews-battle-blaze-at-popular-rotorua-tourist-attraction

A lamp was the cause of a fire that destroyed a performance area at Mitai Māori Village overnight, the owner says. Fire and Emergency NZ was called to the Rotorua tourist attraction just before 10pm and found a large building and nearby bush on fire. The fire was extinguished and crews left around 2.30am.

In a social media video post this morning, village owner Wetini Mitai-Ngatai walked the viewers through the burned area, showing the completely destroyed performance area, including many “beautiful” carvings.

He said he was thankful the kawakawa and kauri were still standing and there was still nearby birdlife. He said “someone” was watching over the site last night to ensure the wind didn’t blow the flames in the direction of the bush. “It is what it is ... That’s the way it is. Just got to get up and have another go.“ He said they were going to be busy today creating another performance area in nearby bush.

“We have to be nimble and move around. There are a few things we can do ... The show will go on. Just got to carry on.“ He said they moved to those premises, at the northern entrance of Rotorua, in 2000 and started “with no money”. He said they had rebuilt before and would do it again.

“This our fifth village. A lot of work went into it.” In a post last night, Mitai-Ngatai said they were just glad no one was hurt. “Everyone is fine, everyone is safe. We lost the performance area, but we didn’t lose the bush, and we didn’t lose anybody, so yeah, it comes down to resilience. Just got to get up and have another go.” Mitai-Ngatai said they appreciated everyone’s messages of concern. “Everybody is here, the whānau is here, and we are just planning what we will do with the next stage.”

Fire and Emergency New Zealand shift manager Ryan Geen said last night they received multiple calls from the public at 9.50pm about a fire at the village, at the northern entrance to Rotorua. A crew was sent from Rotorua and found a large building, about 40m by 30m, on fire. Geen said an area of bush near the building had also caught on fire. Additional fire crews were called from Ngongotahā, Mamakū, Kawerau, Rotoma, Lake Ōkareka, Tauranga and Greerton. Water tankers were also sent because fire crews were having trouble with the water supply, he said.

]]><![CDATA[Sports Club Blaze Destroys Decades of Taonga]]>Mon, 20 Oct 2025 11:00:00 GMThttps://www.lakeokarekafire.co.nz/media/sports-club-blaze-destroys-decades-of-taonga

Rotorua’s oldest rugby club has lost its clubrooms in a devastating fire that tore through the building, destroying photos, trophies and precious club memorabilia. The fire gutted the Whakarewarewa Rugby Community Sports Club off Te Ngae Rd early this morning.

A Fire and Emergency spokesperson said the fire reached third alarm, meaning there was a risk of it spreading to surrounding buildings, but crews were able to contain the blaze at about 4 a.m. Five fire trucks, one ladder truck, two water tankers and multiple support vehicles were sent to the scene.

Emergency services say it is too early to tell how the fire started, but a fire investigator was at the scene this morning.

Whakarewarewa men’s premier rugby coach Ngarimu Simpkins said he was devastated to get the news at 4am. “The first thing that comes to mind is all the photographs on the walls of all the players that we used to look up to as young ones. “I’m talking about the likes of the Maniapotos and the Schusters. Those are probably all gone now.” He said, he had seen a photograph of the Tai Mitchell Shield, and it looked in a “bad way”. “I’m not sure if that can be restored, but it’s devastating."

“The biggest treasures were all the memories of the past teams and times we spent there together.“ Simpkins said it saddened him to think of all the hard work everyone had put into the club now being gone. “I’m sure we will recover, but right now I’m just really sad for everyone.“

Simpkins said the beauty of Whakarewarewa Club was its people, and he knew everyone would pull together to rebuild.

]]><![CDATA[Tokoroa Forestry Fire: Crews Contain Fire after Five Hours]]>Mon, 10 Mar 2025 11:00:00 GMThttps://www.lakeokarekafire.co.nz/media/tokoroa-forestry-fire-crews-contain-fire-after-five-hours

Firefighters battled a vegetation fire overnight in a South Waikato forestry block near Tokoroa.
At the height of the fire, there were 16 crews in attendance.
The fire covered a 100m by 70m area of pine and eucalyptus trees.
“Cold, windless” conditions helped contain the fire.

A large vegetation fire that burned through an area 100 metres by 70m in a forestry block south of Tokoroa has been contained after hours of firefighting efforts.

Fire and Emergency New Zealand incident controller Paul Hunter said the fire was first reported at 9.45pm and was contained at about 3am. At the fire’s height, 16 crews were battling the blaze. “The land has now been handed back to the forestry management,” Hunter said. “The summer has been so dry that there is a lot of dead, dry grass around the district. “We were very lucky that the night was cold and damp, as forest fires have the potential to move very quickly and be hard to control.”

The cause of the fire is being investigated. Incident controller William Pike said last night the fire was burning an area of pine and eucalyptus trees. Pike said crews were expected to dig a firebreak around the area to stop the fire from spreading to other areas of the forestry block. “Conditions are cold, damp and windless, which is helping to keep the fire from growing, but crews are expecting to be at the site for another 12 hours while it is extinguished. “There are 16 crews currently in attendance, although some are being stood down until operations start up again in the morning.” Pike said there were no people or buildings near the fire and there were no evacuations.

]]><![CDATA[Stay 'Vigilant': Warning As Dry Conditions Lift Fire Risk]]>Thu, 16 Jan 2025 11:00:00 GMThttps://www.lakeokarekafire.co.nz/media/stay-vigilant-warning-as-dry-conditions-lift-fire-risk

Rotorua firefighters want people to be aware of fire restrictions and potential dangers as dry conditions and strong winds increase the risks.

It comes after three helicopters were used to fight a 19ha scrub fire in the Tahorakuri Forest area near Reporoa on Wednesday. A Fire and Emergency spokesperson said on Friday four crews were still on site, double-checking their firebreak. “We’re working with one excavator and one bulldozer who are supported by a tanker to dampen down hotspots and monitor the weather conditions.” Ngongotahā Volunteer Fire Brigade fire chief Tai Thompson said another example of the dangers was an incident in December when strong winds caused powerlines to arc in Ngongotahā. Sparks flew into vegetation, resulting in half a dozen scrub fires in two or three days, he said.

In December, temperatures reached a record high of 34.8C in the forestry town of Kawerau. For nearby Rotorua, MetService records show wind gusts peaked at 72km/h and temperatures reached as high as 26.4C during the same month. The Bay of Plenty was classified as a restricted fire area as of January 9.

Thompson said this meant a permit was required when lighting fires in a yellow or restricted zone. Permits could be applied for on the Fire and Emergency checkitsalright.nz website. “When we have a lot of wind, that can cause power lines to arc or knock together, causing sparks, which, when it’s dry, can spark fires. “It’s rural, it can be residential scrub and dried grass as well.”

The Ngongotahā brigade had nine members and when needed, it called on other Rotorua stations, including Lake Ōkāreka, Lake Tarawera, Ōkere Falls and Mamaku, Thompson said. “We have a water tanker on our station, but if we need more water, then we’ll get another water tanker, from Lake Ōkāreka.”

The Rotorua brigade serviced the metropolitan area and supported rural brigades, he said. Thompson said callouts this season had been “okay”, with not too many for non-permitted fires. He encouraged anyone interested in joining the Ngongotahā fire brigade to get in touch with him. Due to volunteer firefighters retiring or moving out of the region, “we are looking for more volunteers”. “It’s a good time to get involved and we’re keen to take on a few more members if they want to do something different for their community.”

A spokesman for the Rotorua fire station said only ”hāngī fires” could be lit without a permit in restricted fire zones. “Any fires, other than cultural fires, should not be lit within the Rotorua area and that includes urban or rural.” “A permit is needed for any other fires,” he said.

Residents who wanted to burn rubbish were advised to take it to the tip instead. When people in Rotorua burned rubbish, smoke could become a nuisance for neighbours. “With the winds that we’ve been getting it doesn’t take long to get into other areas,” he said. Permits were needed for bonfires too. “I urge anyone who thinks they are going to light a fire for rubbish to take it to the tip. “Absolutely no fires now because it is just too dry,” he said.

Bay of Plenty Regional Council regulatory compliance manager Stephen Mellor said only Fire and Emergency could declare fire seasons or issue permits, but permitted fires still needed to comply with council rules. “In both urban and rural areas, outdoor fires cannot be lit within 100m of a neighbouring dwelling unless specific exemptions apply.” These exemptions included braziers, barbecues, pizza ovens, smokers, and hāngā, “as long as smoke emissions are not offensive”, Thompson said.

]]><![CDATA[Large Scrub Fire in Tahorakuri Forest Near Taupō Controlled After Three Helicopters Help Battle Blaze]]>Wed, 15 Jan 2025 11:00:00 GMThttps://www.lakeokarekafire.co.nz/media/large-scrub-fire-in-tahorakuri-forest-near-taupo-controlled-after-three-helicopters-help-battle-blaze

A large scrub fire in the Tahorakuri Forest area between Rotorua and Taupō is now contained and crews are back on the ground today.

The vegetation blaze on Te Toke Rd was reported to fire crews about 12.40pm on Wednesday. Fire and Emergency New Zealand this morning said the fire covered 19ha with a 2.1km perimeter. “We have one ground crew working to reinforce the control line with one tanker there as support. “There will be two excavators on site this morning to assist. “At this stage there will be no air operations today.”

Broadlands Rd resident Alix Lattey told the Rotorua Daily Post on Wednesday she was working from home when the fire began. “I saw it over the other side of the [Waikato] river and then the plumes of smoke got a lot bigger... quite quickly.” Unsure if it was a controlled scrub burn, she “took a bit of a drive up the road towards River Rd just to see how close it was to the river”. She said she was concerned for her property and others nearby. “There’s a few homesteads on the other side of the river,” she said. She had seen reports that it had “just missed a house”. She said the plumes of smoke reduced during the afternoon.

Fire and Emergency said 12 crews, three helicopters and around 32 firefighters had battled the fire on Wednesday. Brigades from Taupō and Tokoroa attended and police helped with traffic management. There were no evacuations reported.

]]><![CDATA[Multiple Crews, Helicopters Respond To Fires Across North Island]]>Tue, 14 Jan 2025 11:00:00 GMThttps://www.lakeokarekafire.co.nz/media/multiple-crews-helicopters-respond-to-fires-across-north-island

Helicopters and multiple fire crews are responding to three vegetation fires burning in the Waikato, Auckland and Manawatū-Whanganui regions this evening. Crews were called to a vegetation fire in the Tahorakuri Forest area northeast of Taupō at around 12.40pm.

Thirty-two firefighters from Taupō, Tokoroa, Lake Taupō, Lake Okareka, Lake Tarawera, Ngongotaha brigades were in attendance. "Twelve trucks, tankers and support vehicles are on the ground, while two helicopters are working from the air. A third helicopter is about to take off to head to the fire," a spokesperson said.

The fire was not "contained or controlled" and was around four hectares in size as of 3.15pm, they added. "Please avoid the area while our crews work. Te Toke Rd is closed in the area near the fire."

]]><![CDATA[Pine Forest Fire Ignites at Putauaki in Bay of Plenty]]>Wed, 18 Dec 2024 11:00:00 GMThttps://www.lakeokarekafire.co.nz/media/pine-forest-fire-ignites-at-putauaki-in-bay-of-plenty

Authorities are investigating a fire on Mount Putauaki in the Bay of Plenty.

Fire and Emergency New Zealand responded with 10 fire crews and two helicopters to a large fire in a pine forest on Putauaki (Mount Edgecumbe) near Kawerau about 2pm on Wednesday.

This morning a Fire and Emergency NZ spokesperson said a crew was present overnight to monitor and continue extinguishing hotspots. “The cause of the fire is currently being investigated.”

In a 4.35pm Facebook update on Wednesday, Bay of Plenty Fire and Emergency said the fire was “now fully contained”. “Our crews will still be working in the area for some time today so please continue to avoid the area around this side of the mountain.” A 3.40pm update said the fire area was about 100m by 200m.

A Fire and Emergency official earlier told SunLive two fire engines, a rural unit and a water tanker had initially been sent to the fire. Brigades from Kawerau, Edgecumbe, Lake Okareka, Lake Tarawera, Rotoma, Okere Falls and Rotorua were at the scene. The crews reported that the fire was located in the pine forest, and a third alarm was activated. “Now 10 fire trucks and two helicopters are in attendance,” the spokesperson said.

Fire and Emergency had not been informed of any risk to the public.

]]><![CDATA[Twelve Hour Battle To Contain Vegetation Fire in South Waikato]]>Thu, 28 Nov 2024 11:00:00 GMThttps://www.lakeokarekafire.co.nz/media/twelve-hour-battle-to-contain-vegetation-fire-in-south-waikato

It took 12 hours, dozens of firefighters and a helicopter to get a large vegetation fire under control in South Waikato.

An out of control fire in Lichfield was phoned in to Fire and Emergency at 6pm Thursday - the start of a long night for firefighters. The brigade arrived and called for further resources, including a helicopter, to help put it out, shift manager Ryan Geen said. “It looks like the fire was approximately 150m by 150m fuelled by moderate wind conditions. And the material was baby pine and so that was burning.”

Geen said the crew started work to extinguish the fire while waiting for further resources. “At the highest point we had five fire appliances, three water tankers and a helicopter and additional support vehicles as well.” The crews which attended were from Putāruru, Mamaku, Ngongotahā, Rotorua, Lake Ōkareka, Lake Tarawera, Pirongia, with all but the Rotorua crew volunteer firefighters. Geen said the fire was contained by 6am Friday. The area is being monitored for hot spots, and forestry crews and heavy machinery were on site as of just after 6am.

Putāruru Volunteer Fire Brigade posted on Facebook that “it’s been a long 12 hours for around 60 firefighters who have been fighting a 4ha vegetation fire in Lichfield.” They told people that while the fire is contained, there may still see a lot of smoke. “We would like to thank all the Brigades that helped, they came from far and wide.”

]]><![CDATA[Te Puna Wildfire Evacuee Praises Emergency Responders As Investigation Continues]]>Thu, 21 Nov 2024 11:00:00 GMThttps://www.lakeokarekafire.co.nz/media/te-puna-wildfire-evacuee-praises-emergency-responders-as-investigation-continuesA father in one of the 10 Te Puna households evacuated as an “intense” wildfire threatened homes has praised emergency responders, who remain at the scene two days later.

The fire started on Snodgrass Rd, west of Tauranga, about 3.20pm on Wednesday and a Fire and Emergency NZ (Fenz) statement on Friday morning said one crew remained at the scene after drone flights identified “two hotspots of concern” overnight.

Fenz incident controller William Pike told the Bay of Plenty Times on Thursday a helicopter and monsoon bucket, 16 fire appliances, dozens of firefighters and thermal-imaging drones helped contain the blaze at its peak on Wednesday.

Kiwifruit vines and kilometres of shelter belt were damaged but no injuries or damaged properties have been reported. Investigations continued but he said the fire was not being treated as suspicious.

A resident who did not want to be named said he and his family were asked by police to evacuate about 5pm on Wednesday because of the “pretty intense” fire across the road. “Naturally some people were worried when we heard the fire was threatening some properties but there was no sense of panic as the firefighters had all their hydrants out on the road and had plenty of water.”

The family headed to Bethlehem Shopping Centre for groceries, then ate takeaways in their car. They returned home about 8.30pm and found neighbours queueing at the Armstrong Rd and Snodgrass Rd intersection waiting for the police all-clear to return to their properties. He credited firefighters and police for their efforts to keep people and property safe. He said he understood Copperfield Nurseries on Snodgrass Rd suffered significant damage to some of its trees and a neighbour lost a large shelter belt. The Bay of Plenty Times has contacted the nursery.

Pike, who is also the Fenz Tauranga group assistant commander, said the origin of the fire had been identified and was “non-suspicious”. Investigations would continue. He said at the scene on Thursday that firefighters were monitoring for hot spots with thermal-imaging drones and dampening down flare-ups.

“Due to the very unique wind conditions from the west on Wednesday afternoon, the fire took hold and it was a very fast-moving fire with several properties under threat. The fire spread, mainly through spot fires that jumped from a specific point to find the next closest location. “Once the fire gets into shelter belts, the vegetation inside is so dry it becomes quite volatile.”

The fire spread to an area of up to two square kilometres. “It is quite a large area and we worked out that the amount of shelter belt damaged was about 3.8km, but it’s in a confined area.”

During the height of the fire, there were about 16 fire appliances and “multiple support vehicles“ and between 40 to 60 firefighters, which included crews from Whakatāne, Waihī, some towards Rotorua Lakes and a crew from Matamata. “This was a big response equivalent to what we call a fourth alarm response.” Pike said a helicopter was brought in on Wednesday night to allow the use of monsoon buckets “up until the twilight hours” and fire crews worked overnight to contain the blaze. There was a flare-up about 1am on Thursday but “our firefighters did a good job to control it very quickly”.

Another Snodgrass Rd resident, who also asked not to be named, said he spotted a flare-up on Thursday night in shelter belts on two neighbouring properties and he used about 4000 litres of water to dampen the embers and keep the “fire at bay”. He called 111 about 3.20pm on Wednesday after seeing smoke on a neighbouring property, then part of a shelter belt on fire. He said the first fire truck and water cart from Greerton station arrived about 15 to 20 minutes later. Wind quickly spread the fire to another neighbour’s shelter belt. ”Embers from flames were being blown up into the air and landing on other parts of the shelter belt. The fire was moving at a fair pace and the flames were jumping up over the top of the shelter belt and moving onto the next section of the belt.”

When the second fire truck arrived, “everyone was panicking” and worried it could reach the second property owner’s home, which at one stage was almost surrounded by three blazing shelter belts. He said firefighters did an “amazing job” to stop the fire reaching the home, and it was fortunate that no homes were damaged and no one injured. The man said he was not asked to evacuate but moved out of the danger area.

A police spokesman said evacuating residents was a “difficult situation” to manage with “many emotions experienced by residents”, but it was necessary. “Some wished to remain at their properties. However, for the safety of residents and for emergency services to be effective in controlling the fire, evacuations were required.” Residents returned home about 8pm, he said.

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