One spark nearly costs Wendon farmer their home

1 January 2023

One spark from a ride-on lawnmower blade hitting a stone seems to have been all it took to start a fire that could have cost a farmer their home in Southland this afternoon, and Fire and Emergency is cautioning others to be very careful as the province gets drier.

Southland Group Manager Timo Bierlin said what started as a grass fire quickly spread to a large hedge close to a farmhouse at Wendon about 3.30pm. Six crews raced to prevent the fire from reaching the farmhouse, sheds, farm implements and fuel supplies.

“It was a really close thing – the paint on the side of the house was bubbling and the guttering was destroyed,” he said. “We are really grateful to the volunteer firefighters who left their holiday activities to fight this fire.”

The Waikaka, Waikaia, Riversdale and Balfour Volunteer Fire Brigades all attended, with one crew remaining on site into the evening to ensure there were no flare-ups.

Mr Bierlin said that people might not realise how easily the dry grass would catch fire. With no significant rain forecast until at least the end of the week, he is urging people to think twice about activities – like mowing lawns – that could generate a spark and cause a similar fire.

“If you must mow, it’s best to do so in the early morning when the day is at its coolest.”