From the Fire Serivce Article by Dave Berry, Canterbury Rural Fire Commander
Canterbury is more than used to dry hot summers. With these weather conditions comes the risk of fire. Over the past five years we have seen an increase in the amount of wildfires that we are attending. We have also seen an increase in the duration of our ‘fire season’. For many years the fire season would generally start late January and go through to mid March. We are now seeing large, fast moving and destructive wildfires starting in October and lasting until late March to early April. This takes a huge toll on our fire fighters and the resources required to get these fires under control. Fires can start from a multitude of different reasons but it is how they spread through available flammable materials which causes the most destruction. Preparing your property early for the season can help reduce the impact of fire. Simple acts like the below will help give your property a defendable zone: • Cleaning out guttering • Removing dry built up vegetation material from under the decking • Storing firewood at least 10m away from the house • Trimming low hanging branches from trees (at least 2m on large trees) • Keeping bushes trimmed • Keep lawns mowed • Looking at having low flammability plants in the garden. • Looking to swap out the pea straw mulch and bark in the garden to chip.
Being prepared to leave your home early and quickly in the case of a wildfire is just as important. These lessons were imperative during the self evacuation of Lake Ohau on Sunday 4th October. A plan which the permanent residents had put in place some years beforehand, was enacted and helped to save the lives of the many visitors staying in the village overnight. It is important if you live in any part of Canterbury to have an evacuation plan. It should include taking important neccesities with you, like medication and baby food (if required). It should also include an evacuation plan for any domestic animals and a plan for any livestock on the property. More information on these plans and how to create your own one can be found on the Civil Defence website www.getready. govt.nz/prepared/household/impacts/ have-to-evacuate. During the fire season, the Canterbury area will usually always be in a Restricted Fire Season or a Prohibited Fire season. If you are planning on lighting a fire, you will need to check if you require a permit to light first, You can do this by checking www.checkitslaright.nz or giving us a call on 0800 658 628. More information regarding defendable zones for your property and how to prepare your property for the upcoming fire season, are available on our website www.fireandemergency.nz. Page 53
