Waiharara Fire investigation report released

5 December 2022

Fire and Emergency has released its findings today into the cause of a major fire incident at Waiharara in December 2021.

The report shows the fire was accidental and was caused by a permitted land clearing burn on private property that got out of control.

"A number of factors contributed to the spread of this fire including heavy dry fuels, high temperatures and strong gusty winds," Te Hiku Region Manager Ron Devlin says.

"Fire and Emergency also investigated whether there were any grounds for prosecution, and we have determined that there is insufficient evidence to carry out any prosecution in relation to this fire."

Fire and Emergency Northland District Manager Wipari Henwood says the fire last year was devastating for the local community. It began on Saturday 18 December 2021 and burned until early February 2022.

"It was an intense firefighting effort," he says. "In total the fire consumed around 2800 hectares, more than half of which was conservation land. Residents had to evacuate twice but fortunately, despite such destruction to the land, no lives were lost.

"Firefighters fought the fire for 50 days before it was safe to hand back to landowners.

"Fire and Emergency would like to acknowledge not only the loss of personal property but also the psychological stress this incident has had on the community. We recognise that full recovery from such incidents for communities can be complex and take years."

Ron Devlin says he appreciates that it had taken a while for the investigation into the cause of the fire to be completed.

"We know this matter has taken some time to finalise, which is usual with highly complex investigations like this one," he says. "It’s important to us that we do a thorough investigation and take the necessary time to get it right.

"We appreciate the patience the community has shown, and we would also like to acknowledge those who supported the investigation and provided local knowledge and information. This helped us considerably in our work.

"I’d also like to particularly acknowledge the local iwi, Ngāi Takoto, and the Far North Department of Conservation team. We have been working very closely together, not just during the incident, but also to create a fire response plan specifically for this area locality, with its high wildfire risk.

"We are lucky to have such strong relationships in our area."

Ron Devlin also says the fire has not yet been declared out.

"While there is no active flame or smoke at present, it could potentially be burning underground. We will continue to monitor the fire ground vigilantly over summer."