Two crews from Whangārei Fire Brigade were needed to control a fire associated with lithium-ion batteries on Sunday.
Two crews from Whangārei Fire Brigade were needed to control a fire associated with lithium-ion batteries on Sunday.
Battery fire
Two crews from Whangārei Fire Brigade were needed to control a fire associated with lithium-ion batteries on Sunday. The fire in the Port Whangārei area started at around 7.40am outside a commercial building.
Two fire crews used a specialised low-pressure ground monitor to control the blaze, puttingit out by 11.10am, said Fire and Emergency shift manager Lauren Sika.
A vegetation fire at Lake Ohia in the Far North on Sunday took more than two hours to contain. Fire crews from Mangōnui, Karikari and Rangiputa were called at about 11.45am.
At its height, the blaze in grass and shrub reached a size of 30m by 10m. Fire and Emergency shift manager Lauren Sika said helicopters were requested to help control the fire but were later stood down as ground crews extinguished the fire by about 2pm.
Floating cheer
A group singing Christmas carols floats down Whangarei's Hatea River, bringing cheer to those passing by.
Whangārei residents were delighted to hear and see a group of Christmas carolers on the Hātea River last week.
The group were singing Christmas tunes as they floated around the river and Upper Whangārei Estuary in their tenders on the evening of December 18. Revellers were delighted that the group took requests for Christmas favourites.
Customs vigilance
Customs is urging port and marina workers, cruise passengers, boaties, and coastal communities in Northland to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity along the maritime border. With over 15,000km of coastline and an expected 550–600 international small craft arrivals this season, Customs will maintain maritime surveillance and patrols throughout the summer. Officers are also preparing to welcome around 180,000 cruise passengers this season.
In 2024/2025, Customs seized more than 2.8 tonnes and 787 litres of illicit drugs and prohibited goods, such as tobacco, weapons and controlled substances at the maritime border. In 2016, 500kg of methamphetamine was landed on Ninety Mile Beach in the Far North.
Suspicious activity can be reported to the Customs website or social media pages.
