Overgrown Sections Cause Concern

Overgrown sections are beginning to cause concern in the Queenstown Lakes District as the hot, dry summer continues, Queenstown Lakes District Council principal rural fire officer Gordon Bailey said.

“We have had a number of calls about overgrown, vacant sections and Lakes Environmental has been dealing with them on a case by case basis.”

“Under the Fire and Smoke Prevention Bylaw, landowners are required to keep their sections clear and if necessary the Council can have the work tendered and carried out at the cost of the landowner,” he said.

“Members of the public are doing a great job of alerting us to any sections that could pose a threat and we’re encouraging them to continue doing this.”

Mr Bailey said the majority of landowners in the district made a real effort to keep their vacant sections clear and others needed to follow suit.

“It’s a matter of community pride and neighbourliness,” he said. “Where sections pose a real threat to other properties and if a fire starts, the landowner of the section concerned could be liable for the costs of fighting the fire and potentially the costs of any other property destroyed.”

Council accepted that in some cases the properties were owned by out of town ratepayers who may not be aware of the overgrowth.

“Again in those cases if neighbours advise us, we are able to contact those individuals and have them arrange a contractor, where there is a fire risk,” Mr Bailey said.

Mr Bailey said the situation was further complicated by the need to be extremely careful when using machinery around tinder dry vegetation.

“The undergrowth needs to be cleared but at the same time, people need to be extremely wary of sparks from hot engines and machinery starting fires.”

“We’re urging people to be very cautious and alert while doing any work outdoors.”

Mr Bailey said the conditions were likely to remain dry for quite some time. “It will take a substantial amount of rain over a long period to decrease the fire risk so we’d like to get as many of these sections as possible cleaned up now.”