Fire burning near Kirwee
A large fire that broke out alongside the Waimakariri River near Kirwee on Sunday night could take some time to fully extinguish.
Firefighters managed to contain the blaze on Monday morning, with no loss of buildings or livestock. A Canterbury Regional Council (Environment Canterbury) fire crew is assisting Fire and Emergency NZ (FENZ) crews on the ground.
It’s estimated the fire has burnt through about 80 hectares of farmland, forestry, and riverbed vegetation. Some of this land is owned by us.
The response is currently being led by FENZ. Once they give the green light for us to go on to the property, we’ll begin an assessment of the fire’s impact on the environment and any infrastructure.
Several machines and aircraft are supporting the incident.
Those living near the fire should keep their doors and windows shut to reduce smoke exposure.
Aerial view of the area, image provided by Fire and Emergency NZ
For more information, follow the Canterbury Fire and Emergency Facebook page.