Fire crews called to 21 avoidable vegetation fires in Southland

1 December 2022

Fire crews have been called out to 21 vegetation fires around Southland in the last two months and with conditions drying out rapidly as we move into summer, the risk is rising. Fire and Emergency is reminding farmers and lifestylers to think ahead and take basic precautions before lighting fires.

Southland Community Risk Manager Delia Riley says that most of the vegetation fires in October and November were caused by planned land management activities like burning piles of slash or patches of gorse, but they escaped and set hedges or shelter belts alight. In two cases, nearby sheds also caught fire.

Most of Southland is still in an open fire season, but that doesn’t mean that people can light outdoor fires with no thought for the consequences.

Some of the burn piles that result in 111 calls had been located unwisely. "Piling up clippings close to the hedge you’ve just trimmed might be convenient but will spell trouble when you set the heap alight," Delia says.

In several other cases, fires had been lit in spite of forecast windy conditions, or had reignited. Burning embers can easily be blown long distances and start new fires.

People should always consult www.checkitsalright.nz first to see whether there are any restrictions in place, and look at the weather forecast before reaching for the matches. It’s also important to have basic firefighting equipment like a hose ready and be prepared to keep a close watch on the fire.

Old fires that are left unattended can also reignite in the wind, sometimes days or even weeks later, so these need to be checked regularly and thoroughly doused with water if they show any signs of heating up again. Three of October’s fires in Southland in were caused by old land management burn-offs reigniting in strong winds.