Firefighters supported by four helicopters strengthen the perimeter of the West Melton fire ahead of strong northwest winds forecast to develop later today. Video / Katie Oliver
As the wildfire in Canterbury’s West Melton smoulders on, one local has described the stress of trying to evacuate with 14 horses.
The vegetation fire broke out on a riverbed and spread to pine trees on Old West Coast Rd by the Waimakariri River, near West Melton overnight.
The West Melton resident, whose name will not be used, told the Herald she wanted to share her experience so other horse owners are prepared for evacuation procedures.
“Horse people, have evacuation plans ... have a back-up too,” she said.
Her family wasn’t able to use their original evacuation plan due to high winds, so they called on locals to help.
“The problem with horses and evacuation notices is that evacuation demands immediate action ... impossible when you have horses to take ... especially several truck loads.”
Knowing there were 14 horses on the property to evacuate, she said they had to seek help.
Other locals pitched in with trailers, so they were ready to evacuate immediately if required.
“Any [horses] that are hard to catch were pre-caught and waiting in yards, trucks were loaded with saddles and all cars had keys in them ready for anyone to rescue,” she said.
She revealed they didn’t have to evacuate the horses in the end, but it was a close call.
Firefighters attempted to control the fire in West Melton, rural Canterbury overnight. Photo / West Melton Volunteer Fire Brigade
She wants to remind horse owners in the area to turn on irrigation lines and keep grass short to help prevent rapid fire spread.
“Rank paddocks are a bad, bad thing,” she said.
Incident commander Dave Key said in an update this afternoon that the fire is contained but not yet controlled.
Fire and Emergency crews are still on the fire ground, working to get it extinguished.
A second blaze 10km away pulled some firefighters 10km to Kirwee earlier this morning after fears a previously controlled fire could “flare up” again.
Key told the Herald that crews plan to hit the fires “real hard”.
“The priority for us is to secure the perimeters in anticipation for the winds, 70-80km/h winds coming,” he said.
Key revealed they know the general area of where the fire started, but it won’t be until fire investigators get in there over the next few days that they’ll be able to establish a cause.
He said this afternoon they’ve had 70 firefighters on the ground along with heavy machinery and helicopters working to prevent the blaze from jumping the road overnight.
Vegetation continues to smoulder after a wildfire destroyed farmland and plantations near West Melton. Photo / Katie Oliver
Key said they’re grateful for all fire crews, in particular the volunteers, who he said make up 80% of crews on the ground.
Approximately 30 households and a caravan park were evacuated as the strong gusts threatened to blow the West Melton blaze into nearby homes and smoke filled the air.
Key said crews have contained the fire within a 6.5km perimeter.
A farm shed has been damaged and some fences had been burnt.
