The community is rallying to help those displaced by a fire in Waipoua in Kaipara, Northland.
The vegetation fire which began yesterday sits around 70 hectares in size, with a 4.5km perimeter.
Fire and Emergency New Zealand said eight helicopters will be in operation today.
There will be five heavy machinery units along with 50 firefighters on the ground, who will work to further establish containment lines.
Watch more coverage of the blaze on TVNZ+
FENZ said about 50 firefighters, eight helicopters and five heavy machinery units will be on the ground near Waipoua in Kaipara. (Source: 1News)
As the fire battle continues, Waikarā Marae is providing respite to the community, offering kai and a place to stay for firefighters and impacted whānau.
Cheryl Tane told 1News the marae has received many donations for the evacuated families, and is now only accepting food, water, and vouchers.
“As a whānau who have experienced fires, we know what it is like and what is needed at the time.”
She said the first course of action was getting the kettle on, getting food ready and making up beds to offer shelter.
“[We] waited, and were ready for the whānau to arrive here from Waipoua and anybody who may have been evacuated and displaced.
“It comes natural to us to manaaki, aroha is here for our whānau and whilst we might be worried or concerned about what’s going on there, we really need to put our best foot forward, be ready with arms wide open … smiles, a beautiful kai, a cup of tea, and a hug for our whānau.”
Tane added many members of the community had “spent their lives” being connected to the rākau (trees) in the area, and they are “doing what they can” to protect them.
Inside the kitchen, Olive Tane told 1News it was about pulling together as a community, and the marae is experienced in helping where it can.
“We’ve had a bit of experience in this department with Cyclone Gabrielle and having our own fire. But good communication is the main thing … we all knew where we had to be and what we had to do.”
Meanwhile, Fire and Emergency New Zealand incident controller Corey Matchitt said work will continue today on protecting structures.
“The 20 homes that were evacuated yesterday are still unable to return home. No structures were lost overnight.”
“As we work with heavy machinery to establish the containment lines, we will have iwi alongside us to identify sites of significance and ensure they are not disturbed.
“The safety of residents and our people is at the forefront of everything we do.
“I would like to thank those who have been evacuated for their patience and understanding.
“It can be a very hard thing to do to leave your home when a fire is near, but doing so has meant everyone is safe. We will continue to do everything in our power to protect their homes.
“I would also like to thank the public for staying away from the area. We need to keep these roads clear so our ground crews can get to where they need to go.”
Although the cause of the fire is still unknown, Matchitt said it is important to remember Northland is under a restricted fire season, and this incident is a reminder of how quickly a fire can spread in these dry conditions.
Weather conditions could be challenging on Friday
Speaking to 1News today, Matchitt said weather conditions are favourable at the moment, but this may change Friday.
“The wind may turn to an easterly, and this will push the fire back to the Waipoua settlement.”
He said conditions are “very dry” at the moment and the local community supported by FENZ did “a great job” in preventing damage to structures.
“We had multiple evacuation routes out of the settlement … once the fire took hold some of those exit routes were cut off, but fortunately the people from the settlements were able to evacuate.”
Matchitt said the fire is a “wake up call”, and said certain members of the community have been given one hour to collect “essentials”. He did not give an estimated time locals would be able to return home.
