A shelter belt fire in Hawke's Bay has triggered a Fire
Service warning for people to be vigilant about fire safety
in the drier summer months.
About 25 firefighters battled the blaze in Twyford for more
than two hours yesterday, after a callout at 2.30pm.
Rural, Hastings and Napier crews attended with four
appliances and three tankers.
Hastings Senior Station Officer Darren Clark said the pine
tree belt was not completely "involved" all the way through
but the pine needles underneath the trees were particularly
dry.
Although they were not certain how the fire started, a
burn-off could have been its cause.
"It may have started from a burn-off, a burn-off that's been
going for a while.
"These things can still keep burning for a couple of months
and then all of a sudden spread."
He stressed the need for such burn-offs to be monitored.
"Some of these fires can burn and keep lots of heat for weeks
and weeks.
"A hot day or a bit of wind and it can flare up again.
"Things are actually getting quite dry out there now. Dry
grass and trees and the risk of fire spread [is getting
greater]."
- Hawke's Bay Today
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