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ALDEN WILLIAMS/Stuff The brigade’s territory covers urban housing, semi-rural blocks, an 80ha campground and forests. The new Spencerville site was chosen – rather than rebuilding on either of the current sites – because uniting volunteers from the Brooklands and Bottle Lake stations was seen as the best way to support and protect the local communities and nearby forest plantations. The 31-strong team has been training and responding from their new station since March, leading the way as the first fully unified brigade in Canterbury.
ALDEN WILLIAMS/Stuff
Fire and Emergency NZ board chair Paul Swain, second from left, and Jan Tinetti, Minister of Internal Affairs, attended the opening.
Christchurch has had 59.2 millimetres of rain since December 20, more than the average for the month of 46.8mm. Hamilton said the rain had given firefighters some short-term relief, but all it would take was a couple of days of dry, windy weather to dry vegetation out again. “The hills are still brown. We don t want people to be complacent.” The fire risk across Christchurch was high, he said, while the wet weather encouraged new growth that ended up becoming dry and adding to the fuel.
STACY SQUIRES/STUFF
Fire and Emergency New Zealand announce new fire restrictions - including a ban on fireworks in parts of Christchurch and Akaroa - on December 16, 2020.
Restricted fire season for Kaikōura and Marlborough as fire risk increases
23 Dec, 2020 07:18 PM
2 minutes to read
NZ Herald
The change in fire season came into effect at 8am on Thursday.
Principal Rural Fire Officer Chris Hayles said anyone wanting to light an outdoor fire in those areas will now need to apply for a fire permit. With the recent hot and dry weather we ve had, we have a lot more dry vegetation around here than previous years.
Advertisement This increases the fire danger and means if a fire were to start, it could spread very quickly.
Hayles said they are urging everyone in Marlborough and Kaikōura, whether you live there or are visiting for the summer, to follow the fire season.
Port Hills fires: Ten suspicious fires in 10 days; fire chiefs ban fireworks
16 Dec, 2020 01:52 AM
4 minutes to read
A Christchurch fire has burned through 15 hectares this morning. Video / Zac Timms / Anne Marie Welton via Chris Lynch
A Christchurch fire has burned through 15 hectares this morning. Video / Zac Timms / Anne Marie Welton via Chris Lynch
Fire chiefs scrambling after a spate of fires on Christchurch s Port Hills hope an immediate fireworks ban and move into restricted fire season will help stomp them out.
Fire and Emergency New Zealand (Fenz) announced the fireworks ban, covering the high risk Port Hills, Akaroa and Bottle Lake areas and effective from 6pm, at a press conference this afternoon following a series of fires.