Forest Fire Danger
Tainui Kawhia Incorporation is deeply concerned about the risk of forest fires and their impact on the local community. We are committed to mitigating these risks and actively promote public awareness about the dangers and preventive measures related to forest fires.
An easy way to keep this risk at the forefront of our minds is by the signage placed at strategic points and access ways around the forest.
Another tool we have is the “General Fire Risk Index”
This fire risk index is provided to Fire and Emergency New Zealand from a weather station located in Taharoa. Click on the link above for the most current weather index information.
Over the winter we have spent time replacing the road signs in the forest. They are nice and bright and clear to read, and they are on posts tall enough that if stock, that frequently graze in the forest, scratch up against the post, they don’t break the sign off.
But these new signs serve a far more important function.
Our roads in the forest are now clearly marked, allowing emergency services to navigate the forest with the aid of maps provided to them.
Summer Fast Approaches
In early October ‘24, TKI, King Country Forestry Services, Waipa Forest Management Service and Complete Logging met with David Brown (Group Manager) Fire and Emergency New Zealand.
Even though this wild and wet spring follows a very wet winter, we all know it cannot last and that we expect a very long and dry summer.
We came together as a group, to discuss what we can do to best prepare ourselves for the upcoming “Fire Season”.
The “Fire Season’s” are set by trigger points driven by the ongoing weather conditions which helps calculate the fire danger ratings (FireWeather (niwa.co.nz)). As a guide for the Kāwhia area in a normal fire season, a restricted fire season is generally set around mid-January and moving to prohibited fire season possible in February. For up-to-date fire weather and fire season status go to the website Checkitsalright.nz. (quote David Brown-FENZ).
In the photo, from left to right.
Rob Angus -WFMS
Malcolm Ormsby -KCFS
Major Nelson -CL
David Brown -FENZ
Hano Ormsby -KCFS
Wayne Brewer -TKI
It was noted by all parties, that the “Fire Danger Today” sign was in need of a serious overhaul.
Stay tuned, there may be something in the works.
Our group traveled to the harvest operational area, where David and Major discussed preventative measures that may be undertaken regarding hot machinery.
With his years of experience in rural fire fighting, David spoke on how a fire in this forest with its sandy soil may spread differently to forest fires inland.
We then drove up through the northern part of the forest so we could gauge the quality of our roads and tracks and get an appreciation of the forested area and flora.
We also look at the very limited water sources in the forest.
We had a very successful day, which has given us may thing to work on between now and the end of the year.
Things like - What are the expectations of TKI’s contractors in the forest during an event or emergency?
Are there means of communications between the harvest contractors and the fire crews on the ground?
What is the emergency evacuation plan?
Other initiatives discussed, were allowing the local Fire and Emergency New Zealand brigades access to train in the forest. The benefit being the fire crews become familiar with the roads and tracks in the forest.
Tainui Kāwhia Incorporation look forward to working with Fire and Emergency New Zealand and with the local brigades as we lead into the 2024/2025 fire season.