Source: Fire and Emergency New Zealand
Fire and Emergency New Zealand acknowledges the sentence handed down in the Invercargill District Court yesterday for an offence under the Fire and Emergency New Zealand Act 2017.
Acting Deputy Chief Executive Service Delivery Operations Ken Cooper says the offender had pleaded guilty to allowing a fire lit by another person to get out of control and spread on 2 April 2022 during a prohibited fire season.
“This fire became the Awarua Wetlands fire in Southland which burned through 1,330 hectares of an internationally recognised conservation area, and which took a week for our firefighters to extinguish,” Ken Cooper says.
“On 23 January this year two other offenders were sentenced for offences relating to the 2022 Awarua Wetlands fire including lighting a fire during a prohibited fire season and allowing fire to get out of control and spread,” Ken Cooper says.
“Today’s sentence was handed down to the third and last of the three, all of whom had pleaded guilty to offences relating to the Awarua Wetlands fire.
“Fire and Emergency declares, or revokes prohibited or restricted fire seasons based on weather and ground conditions. We do this to prevent fires and keep people, property, and the environment safe from unwanted fire.”
Ken Cooper says it is essential to not light fires in prohibited fire seasons, or in restricted seasons without a fire permit, and to check the weather conditions.
“Most people comply with the requirements, but clear breaches of fire safety legislation carry penalties,” he says.
“Given the significance of the impact of the Awarua Wetlands fire, and the fact the area was under a total fire ban, we considered it appropriate to prosecute three individuals for the fire.”
Ken Cooper says while fire risk is higher in summer, Fire and Emergency asks people who are considering lighting a fire in the outdoors at any time of the year to check the local fire danger and fire season at www.checkitsalright.nz.
“Always make sure your fire is fully extinguished and check again the next day. If your fire gets out of control, you must call Fire and Emergency on 111 as soon as possible.
“Everyone should make an effort to know the fire danger and fire season and get fire safety advice at www.checkitsalright.nz whatever they’re doing and wherever they are.”
