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 fire final update

Port Hills fire final update

13 March 2024

Fire and Emergency has completed operations on the Port Hills after last month’s fire but remains ready to react swiftly to any further incidents in the area.

The Port Hills continues to be in a prohibited fire season, with a total ban on outdoor fires. We have allocated 4WD fire appliances to enable crews to reach any remote part of the fireground quickly if there is any sign of a flare-up.

Fire and Emergency Commander Dave Stackhouse says the fireground was officially handed back to the landowners last week after the final hotspot was extinguished. That marked the end of the largest wildfire in Canterbury since the previous Port Hills fire in 2017.

Lasting three weeks, the response involved firefighters from 44 brigades, a large number of support and incident management personnel, and Fire and Emergency’s specialist drone team.

"We are extremely grateful to everyone who was involved in this incident," Dave Stackhouse says.

"It was a very stressful time for the residents living on the Port Hills and caused disruption to all the recreational users who had to stay away from their favourite trails for an extended period. We appreciate the way the community accommodated our operations while we put the fire out."

The Christchurch City and Selwyn District Councils will lead the recovery from the fires, and Fire and Emergency will continue to support the recovery and help the community to become more resilient to the enduring risk of wildfire.

Fire and Emergency will be carrying out a full operational review into the Port Hills fire and also the Waikari Valley fire, which occurred concurrently in the Hurunui District.

The costs of the response have not yet been tallied as not all of the bills have been received from suppliers. The investigation into the cause of the fire is continuing.

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