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
Fire & Emergency New Zealand

Port Hills and Wairaki Valley Fire Update

Port Hills and Wairaki Valley Fire Update

21 February 2024

Firefighters made solid progress today on both of the major wildfires in Canterbury.

Nine firefighters will be working through the night at the Port Hills fireground tonight.

Incident Commander Dave Key says the crews working today put in a big effort to eliminate most of the hotspots, and the overnight crew would continue where the day shift left off.

As well as the hotspots, work is continuing to completely cool one remaining skid site.

Fire and Emergency’s specialist drone crew will resume their thermal imaging flights tonight to monitor the state of the known hotspots and locate any new ones.

There will be 30 firefighters working on the Port Hills tomorrow.

On the Wairaki Valley fireground, three crews spent the day digging out and extinguishing hotspots close to the perimeter of the fireground.

Wairaki Incident Commander Des Irving says that the crews prioritised the hotspots that were within ten metres of the perimeter, located by a thermal imaging drone last night.

Tonight the drone crew will be back again and fire crews will return at 7am. The firefighters will tackle any new hotspots that the drone locates and will also concentrate on an area of bush within the fireground that is protected by a QEII covenant.

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