Public Consultation on Fire Plan Amendments

As part of our statutory requirements under the Fire and Emergency New Zealand Act 2017 and Fire Plans Regulations 2018, all Local Fire Plans were reviewed and finalised in 2024. Following this process, further amendments are now required for the Nelson Tasman and Waikato Local Fire Plans. These changes trigger the need for a formal two-week public consultation.

Scope

This consultation relates only to the recent amendments. The remainder of each plan remains unchanged from the previously approved version.

Summary of Proposed Changes

Nelson Tasman – Waimea Zone

• Clarification of forestry activity in the land cover/land use description.
• Addition of Kohatu Motorsport Park to recreational locations.
• Inclusion of grass-curing considerations to support seasonal decision-making and recognise forestry and grassland intersection risk.
• Updating language to clarify that forest access restrictions are recommended rather than enforced.

Waikato – Coromandel Zone

• Adjustment to thresholds to enable earlier introduction of a restricted fire season during the peak summer visitor period.

Consultation Process

• Public consultation will run for two weeks (12 – 26 November).
• The Content team will manage the process and collate all submissions.
• District Leadership Teams will continue engaging with local partners and stakeholders.
• Collated submissions will be returned to Districts for review and confirmation of any required amendments.

What is a Fire Plan?

A Fire Plan provides transparency and predictability for how Fire and Emergency will use its fire control powers, outlining the particular fire risk conditions that exist or are likely to exist for the local area and sets out the policies and procedures at a local level for the management of risks relating to fire. Each Fire Plan outlines, specific to each local area, things like:

• what prohibitions or restrictions on the use of fire might apply, including what triggers we will use for those restrictions
• how firebreaks may reasonably be considered necessary for the purpose of fire control
• removal or destruction of vegetation or other things that could increase the fire risk
• Fire Plans include information on things like local demographics and environmental factors that are relevant to our work to reduce risks from fire and to manage the potential impacts if one occurs.

When developing these local Fire Plans, Fire and Emergency carefully considers the fire-risk profile and conditions specific to each local area.

The public and interested stakeholders can make a submission on our website(external link).