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Papakura fire risk remains high

Tuesday 10 February 2009, 3:31PM

By Papakura District Council

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PAPAKURA

The light rain that has fallen over much of Auckland early this week is not enough to reduce the fire risk in the Counties area, says Papakura Principal Rural Fire Officer Andy Baker.


“We’ve had a refreshing sprinkle that might have helped in the garden or topped off water tanks in rural areas, but the fire risk remains very high across all of Papakura. We are asking people to stay aware of fire risks until we get a decent dump of rain and can reduce the fire index.”


Mr Baker says the massive fire storms in Australia and recent wild fires on the East Coast of the North Island at Mahia and in the Nelson area of the South Island can be taken as an indication of the danger.


The district’s fire weather indices remain at very high or extreme levels, with a Restricted Fire Season in place.


Mr Baker said it was important that Papakura people wanting to light fires obtain permits before they did so. In the main residential areas of Papakura no open air fires are permitted at all.


“Permits are currently required for any fire in the open air, however in some parts of Papakura district these may not be issued due to the extreme fire danger that currently exists. If we don’t receive some relief in the form of sustained rainfall, it’s possible a total fire ban may be introduced to keep the risk of wild fires to a minimum.”


Mr Baker said he had noted an increase in the number of people applying for fire permits in recent months.


“This means the message about getting permits for fires is getting through, and that’s great. I hope people will continue to comply with the permitting rules and through the next few weeks in particular that we will all remain fire-aware.”



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Recently, he added, firefighters have been called out to small rubbish and vegetation fires in rural areas.


“It is only due to the skill and dedication of those fire fighters that there have not been larger and more dangerous fires. Until we get a good long dousing of rain, I urge people to delay lighting fires, in particular larger fires.”