Total fire ban in Far North area at risk of wildfires

This wildfire at Kaimaumau, in the Far North in late 2021, caused major damage and took days to put out.

Outdoor fires have been banned and there is a total fire ban in the Far Far North due to the extreme fire risk in the northernmost part of the country.

Fire and Emergency Northland District commander Wipari Henwood said all outdoor fires were banned in the northernmost part of Northland from midday today, when the Muri Whenua Fire Zone moves into a prohibited fire season. The ban includes letting off fireworks and is in place until further notice.

The Muri Whenua and wider Far North area has been rocked by major wildfires in past decades, with thousands of hectares lost.

Henwood said the total fire ban was a preventative measure because of the increasing fire risk at the top of the North Island.

“We have had an extended period with high winds and very little rainfall in this area, so there is a much higher risk than normal that fires will escape. If they do escape, it will be harder for firefighters to contain them and stop them spreading,” he said.

All fire permits for the area that have already been issued for the Muri Whenua Zone are suspended under the prohibited fire season.

Cultural cooking fires including hangi and umu may still be allowed during a prohibited fire season if they meet the conditions set out on Fire and Emergency’s Check It’s Alright website and the weather is favourable.

“We are asking people to follow the weather forecast very carefully and only light cultural cooking fires in calm conditions,” Henwood said.

“Winds over 15km/h make it much more likely that a fire will escape. If people have any doubt at all about whether it’s safe to light a cultural cooking fire, please check the MetService website for the current wind conditions and follow all the advice about safety at Check It’s Alright.’’

Wildfires can devastate the Far North, like this one on Cape Karikari, making total fire bans a common occurrence in the district at this time of year.

The Muri Whenua area often experiences dry conditions and is therefore frequently placed under a restricted or prohibited fire season (total fire ban) to prevent wildfires. This is due to the remote nature of the area, which can make it difficult for firefighters to control a blaze quickly.

The Muri Whenua Zone is the northernmost part of the Northland peninsula.

Its boundaries are specifically defined as: the northern side of State Highway 10 from Taipa to Awanui, west of SH1 to Kaitāia, west side of Pukepoto Rd to the Kaitāia-Awaroa Rd, north side of the Kaitāia-Awaroa Road to Wainui, west side of the Kaitāia-Awaroa Rd Wainui to Herekino, and the north side of the Herekino Harbour.

The Far North is at high risk of fires as it dries, with a number of massive blazes in recent years. The most recent large wildfire in the Far North was in March 2023 near Cape Reinga. It took eight days to extinguish at a cost of more than $1.5 million. A fire near Waiharara in 2021-2022 burnt for 50 days at a cost of more than $10m to fight.

It can be particularly expensive to fight big wildfires in the Far North, with multiple helicopters often needed.