Lee Valley Fire Update #4

7 Huitanguru 2024

Firefighting has paused overnight at Lee Valley, but heavy machinery operators will be working through the night to cut firebreaks.

The fire is not yet contained, but has not increased in size since earlier this evening, when it was estimated to cover 5 hectares of pine forestry in steep terrain. 

Fire and Emergency Incident Controller Steve Trigg says that seven helicopters will resume the aerial attack in the morning.

Specialist forest firefighting crews from local forestry companies will also be working on the flanks of the fire to establish control lines, supported by heavy machinery.

Conditions are expected to be favourable for firefighting tomorrow, with light winds from the south west.

All the residents who were evacuated this afternoon are in other accommodation tonight. Fire and Emergency briefed them on the situation tonight, and will update them again in the morning. A few residents were escorted home by police briefly this evening to collect personal possessions.

Nelson-Tasman Civil Defence advises that the civil defence centre at the Wanderers’ Clubrooms on Lord Rutherford Drive has closed overnight and will reopen at 8am.

This will be the last update on the fire tonight.