Residents have been reportedly warned to be ready for evacuation as five helicopters tackle a large vegetation fire near Tongariro National Park this afternoon – barely a month after a major blaze burned 3000 hectares in the same region, reported 1News.
Elyse Schroder told RNZ that she lives south of the fire in Ohakune and could see smoke drifting toward both Ohakune and Turoa. She estimated she was roughly 40 kilometres away in a straight line over the mountain from the actual fire site.
“It looks quite similar to how it looked to start with, with the previous fire a couple of weeks ago,” Schroder said as quoted by RNZ.
“It’s quite still at the moment and very, very hot and barely a cloud in the sky, so it’s just sitting there rather than blowing away.”
According to RNZ, the Department of Conservation said FENZ is leading the response, while it works to assess the scale of the fires. Ray Goff of Summit Shuttles reported seeing thick smoke as he drove down from the Whakapapa ski field and said the blaze – along with the closure of State Highway 47 – is a major setback for the region. With detours adding hours to travel times, shuttle operators are reconsidering their plans.According to RNZ, this situation comes shortly after a week-long rahui was lifted on 17 November following a massive wildfire that burned through 3000 hectares of Tongariro National Park, forcing evacuations from Whakapapa Village and surrounding areas.
Elsewhere, State Highway 2 between Napier and Wairoa has been closed due to a pine plantation fire in Mohaka, reported RNZ.