Hawke's Bay rural fire a warning of things to come

A fire scene in the Ashley Clinton area of Central Hawke's Bay in September. Crews were back in the district for another fire on Tuesday. Photo NZME

More than 30 mainly volunteer firefighters on Tuesday put out a rural fire that signalled a likely introduction of fire restrictions in Hawke's Bay as early as next week.

Fire and Emergency New Zealand Hawke's Bay district manager Ken Cooper said the blaze was reported about 9.30am after a controlled burn off Paget Rd, in Ashley Clinton, west of Takapau.

Wind had reignited the fire, which was reported out of control and posing an increasing threat.

Nine appliance crews from Takapau, Norsewood and Ashley Clinton volunteer brigades were joined by Waipukurau-based Tamatea rural fire units and FENZ firefighters from Hastings.

Soon contained and with most firefighters leaving before midday, the fire came as the region remained free of restricted or closed fire-season notices at an unusually late stage of the summer.

Hawke's Bay Today files show restricted fire season notices in place most years by the second week of November, with closed-season notices sometimes in place by Christmas.
Cooper said more advanced technology and methods have enabled better means of assessing when fire restrictions should be imposed.

But rainfall this November and December has resulted in what farmers and weekend lawn-mowers have been calling exceptional late-December grass and other vegetation growth.

Cooper said that with the high temperatures this week, the threshold for putting restrictions in place, assessed weekly, is close and a restricted fire season notice could be introduced "in 7-to-10 days".

He said the growth would quickly dry out, elevating the risks of rapid spread of fire.

"There's going to be significant growth," he said. "You must have a means of putting it out," he said. "If you haven't – don't light it."