Kiwiburn injury leads to safety plan

STAND OUT: The giant 5m steel weta being built for Burning Man in Nevada and Kiwiburn at Hunterville.

Worksafe have completed an investigation into an incident where a tree branch fell on a woman at this year's Kiwiburn festival and will not be taking the matter further.

The woman ended up in hospital after a large branch fell on a tent she was in at the festival site near Hunterville in the early hours of January 28.

"Kiwiburn has been working with Worksafe to ensure all relevant information be gathered and presented for them to make an assessment and recommendations," a statement on Kiwiburn's website said.

A plan has now been put in place to mitigate risk from falling branches at future events, including negotiating the use of more land to allow forest areas to be closed to camping, getting an arborist to assess risk and advise on an acceptable standard of safety for camping under trees, closing off areas assessed as dangerous and updating communication around camping areas.

Meanwhile, fundraising for a giant steel weta - which will be on show at Burning Man in Nevada before returning to Rangitikei for next year's Kiwiburn - closes in just over a day.

The campaign was launched earlier this year to fund the construction of the 5m art installation which will be made from steel and will shoot flames from its antennae.

Its crowdfunding page has raised just over US$7000 ($9920) of the US$12,000 needed while money had been raised through other fundraisers and the project has received a grant from Burning Man.

Project manager Hippathy Valentine said the giant weta "will enable participants to connect with a part of New Zealand whilst at the annual event".

It will then return to be installed at New Zealand's version of the event, Kiwiburn, held in Rangitikei early next year. Following that the group will look for a permanent location which Mr Valentine said could be in Rangitikei.

"We haven't had any conversations with anyone but if we were going to gift it to anyone I think it would be a good fit for Rangitikei," he said. "We're all about building relationships."

For more information visit giantweta.nz.