Public urged to make sure beach fires are out

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

Gisborne firefighters were called out twice at the weekend to put out fires left burning on the beach.

It has prompted another request from Fire and Emergency NZ for the public to make sure they put out any beach fires they light.

FENZ crews extinguished two small beach fires left burning.

One was at Roberts Road in the city. The other was at Wainui.

“We put them out but we would ask the public again to make sure they do it before they leave the beach,” a senior firefighter said.

“The activity is OK during the current open fire season but the fires must be properly extinguished.

“We also ask the public not to just cover them with sand because that puts other beach users at risk.”