Fire and Emergency New Zealand has opened public consultation on its Fire Plans.

A Fire Plan outlines the particular fire risk conditions that exist or are likely to exist for a specific area, the local policies and procedures for the management of these conditions and sets out how Fire and Emergency will use its fire control powers.

Each Fire Plan outlines, specific to each local area, things like:

- what indicators Fire and Emergency NZ will consider when deciding to change to prohibited or restricted fire seasons, or prohibited activities which can be a high risk of causing a wildfire

- how firebreaks might be used to reduce the fire risk

- information about environmental factors that are relevant to our work to reduce risks from fire and to manage the potential impacts if one occurs.

Fire Plans are developed for each of the following areas:

o Auckland

o Northland

o Waikato

o Bay of Plenty

o Tairāwhiti

o Taranaki

o Manawatū-Whanganui

o Hawke’s Bay

o Wellington

o Chatham Islands

o Nelson Tasman

o Marlborough

o West Coast

o Canterbury

o Otago

o Southland

Fire and Emergency New Zealand Wildfire Specialist Graeme Still says it is important for people in their local areas to have their say as this will directly impact how fire is managed in their area.

"We really want to hear from people about what they think of their local Fire Plan," he says.

"Getting this local knowledge is going to be crucial for us as we continue to develop these plans."

The public can have their say on the proposed Fire Plans on our website to consultation page or by emailing fireplans@fireandemergency.nz.

The consultation opened today and will close on 14 March 2024, at 5pm. Following this, our District teams will review all feedback and final Fire Plans will be published on our website by 22 July 2024.

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