High winds ground helicopters at ‘largely confined’ scrub fire near Twizel, South Canterbury

• A large scrub fire has been blazing overnight in Pukaki Downs, South Canterbury
• Six properties have been evacuated and roads closed
• The blaze comes as the area is under an orange warning for high winds
• A convoy is to be escorted past the fire from Aoraki Mt Cook area

People wanting to leave the Aoraki Mt Cook area are to be escorted past a large scrub fire near Twizel, in South Canterbury.

High winds have grounded helicopters that were helping to battle the blaze but Fire and Emergency say the fire is largely confined within the existing perimeter.

Incident controller Stephen Butler said in a statement on Thursday evening that people who wanted to leave the Aoraki Mt Cook area could be escorted out, though there was no health and safety risk as the fire was some distance from where people were staying.

“But there are people who need to continue their trips or make connecting flights, and we are offering to escort them past the fire area this evening if they wish to leave.”

People wishing to join a convoy of vehicles out of the area were to gather at Twin Streams Bridge at Glentanna at 7pm.

Rain was expected in the area on Thursday evening and snow on Friday morning, which was hoped to help to further control the wildfire, as well as the second vegetation fire that broke out near Lake Takapō/Tekapo at 12.50pm.

An update earlier on Thursday afternoon said Fire and Emergency was continuing to work on the ground, focusing on “the establishment and maintenance of fire breaks to limit the fire’s spread beyond its current boundaries”.

“Helicopters have been grounded by the high winds being experienced ahead of the expected front,” the update said.

“This front is expected to bring cooler temperatures, less wind, and rain from this evening with snow tomorrow.

“The approaching front will also cause some variations in the wind directions. Fire and Emergency is preparing for this and working to keep the fire isolated.”

Fire and Emergency said evacuated residents were being supported by friends and family within the community, and had access to Civil Defence Welfare support if needed.

Fire and Emergency assistant commander Stephen Butler, at a media stand up in Twizel, said Lake Pukaki residents had done a wonderful job taking precautions following the 2020 fires.

“We have got a few days of hard work yet to come, but the guys are in good spirits … and mainly everyone is safe,” Butler said.

He said the fire has so far covered 165 hectares of land and crews have managed to restore power for some people and businesses using generators.

He added there are 16 fire tankers and four-wheel drive vehicles and rural appliances from various brigades and nearly a hundred firefighters deployed.

Mackenzie District Mayor Anne Munro, who also spoke at the media stand-up on Thursday afternoon, said council staff were in Twizel supporting people who had to evacuate.

“We are very grateful for everyone who has come in to help us in this situation and to the volunteers who are out there fighting the fires,” she said.

“The evacuees, I understand, were all evacuated last night and we have staff here to actually support them and to help them.

“There are uncertain times ahead of us and we want to make sure they stay safe.”

Munor asked visitors to the region over the South Canterbury anniversary weekend to check road and weather conditions, and to be mindful of the fire situation.

Mid-South Canterbury Fire and Emergency’s district manager Rob Hands earlier said Fire and Emergency members from Otago and the West Coast would be coming in to assist with safety, planning and operations.

A Rescue Coordination Centre had been set up in Christchurch in response to the fire.

He said the fire was believed to have started west of the Lavender Farm, off Aoraki/Mt Cook Rd.

Emergency services were originally alerted to the fire on Mt Cook Rd in Pukaki Downs, north of Twizel, about 7.45pm on Wednesday.

Two ground crews had monitored the fire overnight and more were on their way by Thursday morning. The plan was to fight the blaze using helicopters with “monsoon buckets”, the FENZ spokesperson said.

MetService said the wind had fallen to 30kph on Thursday morning, but that would not last.

By afternoon, 80kph winds with gusts of up to 140kph was expected. A strong wind warning was in place for Canterbury High Country until 10pm on Thursday.

It also issued a heavy rain warning for the headwaters of the Canterbury lakes and rivers south of Arthur’s Pass for a period of 28 hours from 6pm on Thursday.

“Expect 250mm to 350mm of rain about the main divide, and 100mm to 150mm within 20km farther east,’’ the warning said.

“Peak rates of 15mm to 25mm per hour about the divide. Thunderstorms possible. Rain turning to snow from late Friday morning or during the afternoon.

“Heavy rain may cause streams and rivers to rise rapidly. Surface flooding and slips are also possible and driving conditions may be hazardous.’’

Speaking to The Timaru Herald, Butler said they had been really lucky with the wind.

“The wind turned around in the middle of the night and it headed the other way which was good,” Butler said.

“This morning, the wind picked up in the other direction and we managed to get the helicopters in the air. The frequent wind change is what’s making it really difficult for the guys.”

He said there were considerable efforts on Thursday morning to get containment lines around the properties and also a plantation at the northern end of the fire.

“We still don’t know what started the fire. The fire investigators are starting to unwrap that.

“I know there has been controlled burns up here in the past … that’s something we’re always aware of and we always tell people that are planning to burn to have a look at the weather conditions … and also to get out there and actually check on old fires.

“We’re taking the opportunity of the weather patterns at the moment before it turns northwest earlier this afternoon … we hope we might get some rain.”

He said visitors in the region should put off coming into the area until the later part of their holiday.

“Unfortunately the road to Mount Cook is closed. We are mindful that that’s a real tourist hotspot, and we want to be able to gets things opened up.”

Fire and Emergency said at 9.20am seven helicopters with monsoon buckets and diggers were working to contain the Pukaki Downs fire.

The helicopters were working in two sectors, Butler said at the time.

“One sector is focused on protecting residential homes and they are working in conjunction with ground crews to strengthen the fire break in this area.

“The second sector is at the northern end of the fire and working to protect a plantation in the area.”

Butler said diggers were also operating alongside Fire and Emergency ground crews to establish or widen fire breaks.

He said the wind was currently pushing the fire back onto itself, but a wind shift in the middle of the day was expected to push it back in the direction it was moving last night.

A second wind shift was also expected later in the day and crews would be mindful of staying safe throughout the day, he said.

No damage had been seen to any homes as yet, which Butler credited to the lessons learned from the previous large fire at Pukaki Downs.

“The defensible spaces around the homes have been improved since then and this has prevented the fire spreading to homes.”

State Highway 80 between the Lavender Farm and the intersection with State Highway 8 would remain closed until further notice.

For Takapō/Tekapo photographer George Empson, the fire’s glow at 1am in the morning brought back memories of the 1957 Aoraki//Mt Cook Hermitage Hotel fire that burnt the establishment to the ground.

“As a kid I just remember looking over and seeing an orange glow [from Tekapo/Takapō],’’ he said.

It was a similar glow that he saw when he looked out his window on Thursday morning after waking up and getting up for a while, he said.

“I noticed in the window a bit of a glow.

“I opened a window and saw it was a big, orange glow.’’

Not one to miss a photo opportunity, Empson got dressed, threw his recording gear in his truck and drove over the rise near Irishmen’s Creek.

“Then I saw the fire and thought ‘it’s Pukaki again’’, and stayed on the high ground.’’

He began taking photos, and after a quick return home, was back out again capturing images and videos.

Empson described the wind as very strong, and he found it hard to stand up to take photos.

Tourism operator and Aoraki/Mt Cook Fire Brigade member Charlie Hobbs said, he had been up most of the night fighting the fire.

“The helicopters have been doing their thing this morning,” Hobbs said.

“It’s only a matter of time before we get the full picture of what’s happening. We went back at 3am this morning and the fire was raging and there were strong winds.”

Hobbs said it would be nice to see some rain and they were presently awaiting further instructions.

“FENZ are onto it organising everything, and we’re hoping for some rain this afternoon, but it’s great to see everyone safe.”

A spokesperson for Mt Cook Lakeside Retreat, off SH80 overlooking Lake Pukaki, said there was no damage to the property.

The retreat lost five outbuildings to the fires in 2020.

Alpine Energy’s website showed power outages in Pukaki, Lilybank near Lake Takapō/Tekapo and Haldon near Lake Benmore.

The outage at Pukaki, which occurred at 12.31am, was attributed to the large scrub fire. However, the causes of the power outages at Haldon and Lilybank on Thursday morning were unknown.

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