Our 3-Step Escape Plan

  • First Escape Route
  • Second Escape Route
  • Meeting Place
Notes

Use this space to note any additional information about your escape plan, i.e. who will assist

Your checklist

  • Get low

    Smoke is poisonous and more deadly than flames.

    If you breathe smoke for more than a few breaths it can kill you.

  • Be fast

    A house fire can kill you in less than three minutes.

    Don't spend time trying to save possessions.

  • Close doors

    A closed door buys you time.

    It slows down the spread of fire, giving you more time to get to safety.

  • Get out - stay out!

    People have died by going back into a fire.

    Don't leave the meeting place to go back inside for any reason.

Call emergency services as soon as you are out and safe. Ask for FIRE.

Clearly state your address and let the operator know it anyone is still inside or has not made it to the safe meeting place.

Emergency call 111 Emergency text 111

2024 Fire Plans consultation

Fire Plans

Fire and Emergency ran a formal consultation process on draft Fire Plans for the whole country from 15 February to 14 March 2024, 5pm. The feedback was received via our online submission form, email and at district land management forums.

Find finalised Fire Plans on our Fire Plans page.

Update from public consultation

Thank you to those that submitted feedback on the draft Fire Plans. All feedback was carefully considered and made a real difference in helping us improve and finalise all Fire Plans.

Through the consultation, we received 35 formal submissions. All 16 district Fire Plans received submissions. Feedback has been broadly grouped into the following sectors:

  • Forestry (15 individual submissions)
  • Farming and horticulture (1 individual submission)
  • Territorial Local Authorities (2 individual submissions)
  • Conservation (2 submissions, including a national submission)
  • Emergency preparedness (2 individual submissions)
  • Infrastructure-related organisations (1 individual submission)
  • Other landowners (2 individual submissions)
  • Members of the public (11 individual submissions)

Feedback themes included:

  • use of fire control measures i.e., the fire break policy
  • use of fireworks
  • fire hazards and risks
  • publicity methods for fire bans/restrictions
  • education on the burning of rubbish fires
  • trigger thresholds for setting fire seasons
  • setting permanent restricted fire zones.

We’ve also received additional commentary, largely around consents administered by other agencies. As this is outside of the scope of Fire Plans, this feedback was passed onto districts, where applicable.

Why did this consultation happen?

Fire Plans are required under Section 22(external link) of the Fire and Emergency New Zealand Act 2017 (the Act) and under the Fire and Emergency New Zealand (Fire Plans) Regulations 2018 (Regulations)(external link). The first generation of Fire Plans created under the Act were developed and published in 2021.

As part of these regulations, Fire and Emergency must review and amend Fire Plans for each local area (reflecting either a Local Advisory Committee or a Territorial Local Authority boundary) at least once every three years and at the time of any significant change to the boundaries and other Fire Control Measures of the local area to ensure Fire Plans reflect the changing nature of communities and emerging risks they face.