Northern Advocate
  • Northern Advocate home
  • Latest news
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Sport
  • Property
  • Video
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
  • Sport
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Residential property listings

Locations

  • Far North
  • Kaitaia
  • Kaikohe
  • Bay of Islands
  • Whangārei
  • Kaipara
  • Mangawhai
  • Dargaville

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

Weather

  • Kaitaia
  • Whangārei
  • Dargaville

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Northern Advocate

Alert lifeguards raise alarm as Ahipara fire threatens homes

Northern Advocate
10 Jan, 2019 10:00 PM2 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

A lifeguard on duty at Ahipara. Photo / File

A lifeguard on duty at Ahipara. Photo / File

As if saving lives at sea wasn't enough, alert surf lifeguards at Ahipara helped avert an emergency on land when they saw a scrub fire was threatening homes.

Ahipara fire chief Dave Ross, who is also the vice president of Far North Surf Rescue, said two paid lifeguards on duty at Ahipara noticed a blaze in dry scrub on the other side of Foreshore Rd about 1.20pm on Monday.

They immediately radioed the marine rescue centre, asking the operator to call Fire and Emergency NZ, then rushed to alert people whose homes were in the path of the flames.

At least six people were evacuated from two houses.

The local fire brigade arrived about 12 minutes later to put out the blaze with another appliance and a tanker as a backup from Kaitaia.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Ross said the fire burnt through about 20m of pampas and grass and came to within 25m of the nearest house.

''It wouldn't have taken much longer ... It had just got into a stand of bamboo and was heading uphill. It's tinder dry out here.''

The fire started when sparks from an angle grinder, being used by someone doing up a bach, ignited nearby foliage.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Ross was pleased the lifeguards weren't just keeping watch on the water.

''It's good they're diligent and keeping an eye out.''

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Northern Advocate

Northern Advocate

'I felt really duped': Senior police manager alleges bullying and 'boys' club' culture

Northern Advocate

256-year-old anchor found after 43 years, confirming historic discovery

Northern Advocate

'Everyone's anxious about it': Slip adds uncertainty to Brynderwyns project


Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Northern Advocate

'I felt really duped': Senior police manager alleges bullying and 'boys' club' culture
Northern Advocate

'I felt really duped': Senior police manager alleges bullying and 'boys' club' culture

Bridget Doell claims she was excluded from key decisions and faced bullying.

19 Jul 02:00 AM
256-year-old anchor found after 43 years, confirming historic discovery
Northern Advocate

256-year-old anchor found after 43 years, confirming historic discovery

18 Jul 07:43 PM
'Everyone's anxious about it': Slip adds uncertainty to Brynderwyns project
Northern Advocate

'Everyone's anxious about it': Slip adds uncertainty to Brynderwyns project

18 Jul 05:05 PM


Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

06 Jul 09:47 PM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • The Northern Advocate e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Northern Advocate
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The Northern Advocate
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP