Promoting Wildfire Emergency Household Readiness this summer

Driven by an El Niño climate pattern, a hotter, drier, and windier summer has been forecast, increasing the risk of wildfires in the eastern areas of North and South Islands.

We know the devastating impact a wildfire can have on our communities, so it’s important for our communities to be prepared for a wildfire emergency. These can happen not only in rural areas but also in towns and cities.

Although the weather has been wet for many parts of the country, the forecasted hot, dry, and windy summer is predicted to be just around the corner, so we are starting to ask the public to make a wildfire emergency household evacuation plan at www.fireandemergency.nz/when-wildfire-threatens(external link). Over the Christmas holiday period, we’ll be using media coverage and social media posts to reach the public during times when our message can have the most impact – when the fire danger is high, very high or extreme.

We all play a key part in delivering this message so when you’re out and about this summer, we encourage you to have a kōrero with your friends and whānau about making a wildfire emergency household plan at www.fireandemergency.nz/when-wildfire-threatens(external link). 

In early 2024, the next phase of this mahi (work) will involve the creation of additional community tools and resources which we’ll make available as soon as they’re ready.

We are also continuing to educate the public about wildfire prevention through a Wildfire Prevention campaign(external link), driving the public to visit checkitsalright.nz for safety tips when lighting a fire or doing anything that could cause a spark.

If you have any questions about this mahi, please get in touch with the National Community Readiness and Recovery team at CRR@fireandemergency.nz