Weston Kirton: Ruapehu mayor on the investigation into the Tongariro National Park fire

Rainfall today at Tongariro National Park has helped dampen the fire that's rampaged across nearly 3000 hectares since Saturday. 

Fire and Emergency says a flyover his afternoon's revealed no signs of live fire.

Crews will use thermal imaging to detect hotspots tonight - which they'll target tomorrow. 

Ruapehu mayor Weston Kirton says they'll investigate what caused the fire. 

He says hundreds of hectares will need to be restored - but most areas damaged had little public access. 

"Organised tracks will be open to the public as soon as we get that 7 days lifted...and when it's safe to do so."

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Ever, Duple syl Hi that enormous fire and tilmeted On
National Park is still burning, but fire Cruiser upbeat about
the progress that they've made. Evacuated residents of fuck A
Puppa Village have been allowed to return, and dox Damien
Coots says that the worst damage to the tourism infrastructure
has been avoided.

Speaker 2 (00:15):
Yesterday we lost twenty eight hundred hectares approximately of tolleted
on National Park. We're in an incredibly fortunate position from
a recreation point of view to have saved many of
others or assets, but the impact on by diversity is
going to be significant.

Speaker 1 (00:29):
To appear who District mayor Western curtains with US High.

Speaker 3 (00:32):
Western, Yes, sir, good afternoon, Heather, Thank you for the
opportunity to come on program.

Speaker 1 (00:36):
Does it seem to you like the rains put the
fire out?

Speaker 3 (00:39):
Well, it's basically helped, Heather. We had issues with the
wind and the heat yesterday, which of course was that's
pinnacle with the fire, but have rain and dampening things overnight,
particularly made it easier for the crew to get on
the ground and actually try and deal with it permanently.

Speaker 1 (00:56):
Still some hot spots and stuff.

Speaker 3 (00:57):
Oh, absolutely, it will be going on. Of course of
the next week. We'll have people on the ground. They'll
be putting drones up during the night, for example, to
see what's out there and actually deal with it during
the day.

Speaker 1 (01:09):
Any idea how it started.

Speaker 3 (01:11):
No, that's something under investigation, Heather, all sorts of speculation.
I've got to say that it's probably in the vicinity
of a highway, which is a state highway forty seven,
and it's likely that's some interference there that's caused it.
That I can only speculate, and I guess it's allowed
the police to carry out the investigation.

Speaker 1 (01:29):
Did you see that the EWE has placed it on
hue over the area for ten years.

Speaker 3 (01:34):
Well, it's part of it. We're talking about two parts
to it together. One is the rah WHOI are regarding
the track itself. So we've got seven days there and
that would be revisited in seven days to see whether
or not you know, it's practical to go over the
Tongario crossing and that could be lifted. But the ten

(01:55):
year one is around the restoration. What they basically say,
EWE is that they need to restore it responsibility, which
of course goes hand in hand with what everyone else
in New zealyone wants is to ensure that it just
doesn't go to weeds and to ushare up.

Speaker 1 (02:10):
Okay, so what is it actually going to stop. Who's
going to be stopped from going into what areas for
the next ten years?

Speaker 3 (02:16):
Well, I think to appreciate that the areas that was
burnt doesn't have very much in the way of public
access at all. What we're talking about is organized tracks
which will be open to the public as soon as
we get to seven days lifted and cause it's safe
to do so. So we're not as though that you know,
you can go there and park up and actually stay there.

(02:37):
It's just not practical in that location. So we've got
to be fair to say that there's hundreds and hundreds
of hectares that need to be restored and we've got
to give it space.

Speaker 1 (02:47):
To do that. Westin thanks very much for your time,
as always, Western Curtain, the Ruapeho District.

Speaker 3 (02:51):
Mayor for more from Hither Duplessy Allen Drive.

Speaker 1 (02:55):
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