Potential extreme fire risk for Northland as high winds and low humidity looms

Firefighters are still working at the scene of Sunday's major blaze in Kerikeri ahead of a possible sharp increase in fire danger on Wednesday. Photo / RNZ, Peter de Graaf

By Peter de Graaf - RNZ

Northland’s top firefighter is warning that forecast high winds and low humidity today could create a short period of extreme fire risk.

Fire and Emergency Northland manager Wipari Henwood said the region’s unusual weather conditions could be heightened by a front travelling up the country on Wednesday.

By the time the front reached Northland it was unlikely to have much rain left, but it would bring strong drying winds and a sharp drop in relative humidity.

That could create a “spike day” – a short period of extreme fire danger.

He urged Northlanders to be extra vigilant on Wednesday, and anyone who had been issued a fire permit should consider waiting until conditions eased.

People should also avoid anything that could create sparks outdoors, such as grinding or lawnmowing.

Henwood said it was possible the front would bring some much-needed rain.

“But the worst case scenario is that we don’t get any rainfall, we just get the wind and really low relative humidity. The impact of that is if anybody decides to light a fire, the potential for that to escape is really high. We’re just asking people, especially tomorrow, to be very vigilant.”

Fire and Emergency NZ would be keeping a close eye on Kerikeri in particular, where a large fire swept through four hectares of gum trees and slash on Sunday a short distance from the town centre.

Henwood said a forestry crew was at the Kerikeri fire scene on Tuesday, continuing to extinguish hot spots in preparation for potential extreme conditions.

Monitoring would continue on Wednesday in case the fire was fanned back into life.

Henwood said much of Northland was currently in an open fire season with the exceptions of the Aupōuri and Karikari peninsulas, where a fire permit was always required, and DoC-administered islands, where a total fire ban was in place.

Northland’s fire season status would be reviewed in coming weeks.

The risk was currently higher on the west coast because the east was at least getting some rain.

Earlier, Fire and Emergency said the Kerikeri fire was caused by a burn pile lit earlier in the week being fanned back into life by strong winds.

The fire was in an area bordered by Kerikeri’s town centre, the Heritage Bypass and Kerikeri River, where a 20ha block of eucalyptus and redwood trees is being felled for a major housing development.

It also came close to native bush along Kerikeri River and council-owned reserves.

A Far North District Council spokesman said the fire did not reach the reserves and no council assets were destroyed.

More than 20 firefighters from five brigades, two helicopters and a digger fought the blaze on Sunday.