September 22, 2025 • 7 mins
Julian Tohiariki of FENZ gives some pointers for Spring time fire safety.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:09):
Arguably the biggest song for the Exponents from nineteen ninety one,
Why does Love Do This to Me? You're listening to
the muster on Hakanui. Julian to Hiaariki of fire an
emergency in New Zealand. He is the Southern South and
District manager. Joins us next, Julian, how are you good
to catch up?
Speaker 2 (00:26):
Fantastic? Great, thanks Andy, good to be back on the show.
Speaker 1 (00:29):
Now from a foreign emergency New Zealand perspective, there's quite
a bit that you need to really think about at
the moment. You're coming into spring time. You've got through
the winter. But it's a good chance, just for a
few subtle reminders, because every day is different on the farm,
and so is the changing of the seasons, which brings
different challenges.
Speaker 2 (00:49):
Of course it does too. And look as the days
are starting the linked and out now, which is fantastic,
and weather's a changing, seasons are changing, particularly at the
moment too. It's just I mean, you will know and
the farmers will know that it gets to be quite
a windy time at the moment, right, so we get
a lot of winds coming in now for the next
couple of months, and you know, it's about being really
you know, at the moment with no pyramits around it
and most of the areas, not all of the areas,
(01:10):
but to making sure that those fires are out during
at the nighttime when those winds might pop up and
causing some issues through those as well. So it's about
and also two endy is that even though we've had
quite a bit of rain across the district, it doesn't
always mean that things are wet as well as it
takes very little for these winds and some warm weathers
to dry out the paddocks, therefore making the fuel more
(01:32):
available to burn.
Speaker 1 (01:34):
Jillian, what does it take for fire pyramids to come
into play?
Speaker 2 (01:38):
So what we do is, if you're thinking having a
having a burn of any sort, do we get onto
the website kick it's all right to light and gives
you five seasons and it towns you you know, we're
here to contact and for those small complex fires or
bigger fires that we will have someone one of the
teams from here from a cargo look come out and
have a sight visit to make sure everything's in place. Now,
(02:00):
the key thing around the permitting is making sure that
you know we've got conditions in the permit. What we
found over the last fewyear is getting way better. But
you must read the conditions of your permits and follow
those to the instructions because quite often that we don't
come out for side visit. We're relying on acut information
from from the burners and you know we're there to
help we we can, so yeah, check, it's all right
(02:24):
to light.
Speaker 1 (02:25):
Irrelevant pointing irrelevant point Jillian you bring up regarding the
wind and the likes and we had that situation on
Saturday ten or eleven days ago where it was horrific
to say the least. It just brings in a whole
new set of challenges as well.
Speaker 2 (02:41):
Yeah, absolutely too. So we've just got to be recognized
the change of the seasons and the change of the
weather bends from our nice, calm, beautiful August into now
and to the change in the seasons, the winds, the
rain and then the warm weathers. It's just really unpredictable.
So what I would suggest to just during this time
as the farmers are getting back is checking the tractors
(03:02):
and implement or that, you know, for Brud's nests and
things before starting them up. If they've had them locked
up over the winter time because that causes us a
lot of fires. There's brudey is stuck into the tractors
and things. So there will be another good one to
do as well.
Speaker 1 (03:16):
I say a photo of this the other day. Actually,
you think it's too early and too cold for this
to occur, but those sparrows don't give a rats about anything.
They just hop in there regardless of the time of year, right.
Speaker 2 (03:26):
And they can be here editry too. So the you know,
the families come back to the same places where they nested,
and so if you've got to they'll come back every
year to the same spot and they don't care. Let
us want a nice one. But honestly, it's a real
cause of and you know some of these tractors that
we're talking about these days are you know, they're so
expensive and you know, just keep an eye on them,
just have a quick look around under the bonnet, and
(03:46):
there's key areas where it could start a fire. Was
an easy insurance policy, to be honest. Any and I
guess you know we talked about daylight saving this weekend.
It's just for the general general people out there, is
about checking your smoke Alarms's tried to push cheek your
smoke alarms a daylight saving and that you know that
is just making sure it's clean, it's got the you know,
(04:06):
wipe it down test that we push the way button,
make sure it's still working. There's prints. Pretty much all
you need with these new ten year life batteries though,
but a cheap none less daylight saving.
Speaker 1 (04:16):
This weekend has crept up as well, so reminder when
you put the clocks forward on Saturday evening, it's a
good time to change those alarmed, to change the batteries
and the alarm and same old story again. We talk
about fire extinguishers certainly something to happen vehicles.
Speaker 2 (04:32):
Absolutely and looking you know, anything that we can get
our people to do with check like checking your tractors,
you know, flewing out your permits and following the criteria.
It all makes the life a lot easier for a
lot of our volunteer brigades that they're still out they're
working as well and saving those unwanted calls or you know,
farmers putting their fires out at nights if the winds
are coming up, and you know, it just stops the
(04:55):
burden on our volunteers by turning out to things where
they shouldn't be turned up to unnecessary just because we
haven't done our due diligence along those sorts of things
as well. So and quite often through any just the
lastings around permits is that quite often we can cancel
a permits. So we think there's a whole lot of
you know, like a spike day or really hot weather
coming in or windy weathers and you've got a permit,
(05:17):
doesn't mean we're going to necessary. We contact those people
and say, please don't burn over this time. The weathers
are not are looking good for that burn, can you
please hold off? So it's not a car blanche to burn.
So just we need people have common sense amountains out.
Speaker 1 (05:29):
You talk about common sense, you talk about fat fires.
One thing that really intrigues me, Julian, is when you
guys bring that trailer around to the different shows and
the likes happening around the South and showing what happens
when you put water on a fat fire. That thing
just still blows my mind. No pun intended, No, you
did right.
Speaker 2 (05:48):
It's quite quite visial, isn't it. And just that's just
the putting the wrong thing on the wrong place. Now,
who wouldn't think about chucking water on a fire, you know,
that's our first reaction. But the reality is what you're
talking about, Andy, is it absolutely the wrong thing to do.
So there's other ways of putting that fire out, you know,
turning it off at the wall for a start, if
it's safe to do so, chucking a fire blanket on
top of that, just to stop that, you know, but
(06:09):
certainly water splashes it all over the place, Isn't that interesting?
A lot of people are very blown away by that, Mandy,
that how much damage it can do by chucking a
pot of water on it.
Speaker 1 (06:18):
Just explain what a fire blanket does.
Speaker 2 (06:20):
Well, A fire blanket really in this case, proved blanket
is something like it's just putting a couple of putting
the pot look back on and taking away the ability
for it to get that oxygen and keep burning. So yeah,
it's just another way of you know, shutting that fire
off and stopping that frame from spreading. But of course
we only talk about those things when it's safe to
(06:41):
do so. Quite often, if that fire is too big
and it's get yourself out, get yourself out, wring one
more money and get us down there as soon as possible.
Don't try nothing crazy and trying to put this fire
out at the extense of getting burns or getting froken
elation or risking anyone's life. Put it that way.
Speaker 1 (06:56):
Great words to finish on, Julie, and always appreciate your
time on the Master.
Speaker 2 (07:00):
Worries mate, hate good to talk to you. And be
safe out there this spring time in the summer. You know,
I think everything's due for another drive summer apparently, So
let's just keep keep our people safe out there by
doing the right things.
Speaker 1 (07:14):
Julian to Hierarchi a final emergency New Zealand. Some great
pointers as well, especially around the iron horses, check for
those bird nests, kick under the bottom and the likes.
Just got to be safe, right Nick Robinson from my
Twinny Young Farmers is up next. This is the Master
Arguably the biggest song for the Exponents from nineteen ninety one,
Why does Love Do This to Me? You're listening to
the muster on Hakanui. Julian to Hiaariki of fire an
emergency in New Zealand. He is the Southern South and
District manager. Joins us next, Julian, how are you good
to catch up?
Speaker 2 (00:26):
Fantastic? Great, thanks Andy, good to be back on the show.
Speaker 1 (00:29):
Now from a foreign emergency New Zealand perspective, there's quite
a bit that you need to really think about at
the moment. You're coming into spring time. You've got through
the winter. But it's a good chance, just for a
few subtle reminders, because every day is different on the farm,
and so is the changing of the seasons, which brings
different challenges.
Speaker 2 (00:49):
Of course it does too. And look as the days
are starting the linked and out now, which is fantastic,
and weather's a changing, seasons are changing, particularly at the
moment too. It's just I mean, you will know and
the farmers will know that it gets to be quite
a windy time at the moment, right, so we get
a lot of winds coming in now for the next
couple of months, and you know, it's about being really
you know, at the moment with no pyramits around it
and most of the areas, not all of the areas,
(01:10):
but to making sure that those fires are out during
at the nighttime when those winds might pop up and
causing some issues through those as well. So it's about
and also two endy is that even though we've had
quite a bit of rain across the district, it doesn't
always mean that things are wet as well as it
takes very little for these winds and some warm weathers
to dry out the paddocks, therefore making the fuel more
(01:32):
available to burn.
Speaker 1 (01:34):
Jillian, what does it take for fire pyramids to come
into play?
Speaker 2 (01:38):
So what we do is, if you're thinking having a
having a burn of any sort, do we get onto
the website kick it's all right to light and gives
you five seasons and it towns you you know, we're
here to contact and for those small complex fires or
bigger fires that we will have someone one of the
teams from here from a cargo look come out and
have a sight visit to make sure everything's in place. Now,
(02:00):
the key thing around the permitting is making sure that
you know we've got conditions in the permit. What we
found over the last fewyear is getting way better. But
you must read the conditions of your permits and follow
those to the instructions because quite often that we don't
come out for side visit. We're relying on acut information
from from the burners and you know we're there to
help we we can, so yeah, check, it's all right
(02:24):
to light.
Speaker 1 (02:25):
Irrelevant pointing irrelevant point Jillian you bring up regarding the
wind and the likes and we had that situation on
Saturday ten or eleven days ago where it was horrific
to say the least. It just brings in a whole
new set of challenges as well.
Speaker 2 (02:41):
Yeah, absolutely too. So we've just got to be recognized
the change of the seasons and the change of the
weather bends from our nice, calm, beautiful August into now
and to the change in the seasons, the winds, the
rain and then the warm weathers. It's just really unpredictable.
So what I would suggest to just during this time
as the farmers are getting back is checking the tractors
(03:02):
and implement or that, you know, for Brud's nests and
things before starting them up. If they've had them locked
up over the winter time because that causes us a
lot of fires. There's brudey is stuck into the tractors
and things. So there will be another good one to
do as well.
Speaker 1 (03:16):
I say a photo of this the other day. Actually,
you think it's too early and too cold for this
to occur, but those sparrows don't give a rats about anything.
They just hop in there regardless of the time of year, right.
Speaker 2 (03:26):
And they can be here editry too. So the you know,
the families come back to the same places where they nested,
and so if you've got to they'll come back every
year to the same spot and they don't care. Let
us want a nice one. But honestly, it's a real
cause of and you know some of these tractors that
we're talking about these days are you know, they're so
expensive and you know, just keep an eye on them,
just have a quick look around under the bonnet, and
(03:46):
there's key areas where it could start a fire. Was
an easy insurance policy, to be honest. Any and I
guess you know we talked about daylight saving this weekend.
It's just for the general general people out there, is
about checking your smoke Alarms's tried to push cheek your
smoke alarms a daylight saving and that you know that
is just making sure it's clean, it's got the you know,
(04:06):
wipe it down test that we push the way button,
make sure it's still working. There's prints. Pretty much all
you need with these new ten year life batteries though,
but a cheap none less daylight saving.
Speaker 1 (04:16):
This weekend has crept up as well, so reminder when
you put the clocks forward on Saturday evening, it's a
good time to change those alarmed, to change the batteries
and the alarm and same old story again. We talk
about fire extinguishers certainly something to happen vehicles.
Speaker 2 (04:32):
Absolutely and looking you know, anything that we can get
our people to do with check like checking your tractors,
you know, flewing out your permits and following the criteria.
It all makes the life a lot easier for a
lot of our volunteer brigades that they're still out they're
working as well and saving those unwanted calls or you know,
farmers putting their fires out at nights if the winds
are coming up, and you know, it just stops the
(04:55):
burden on our volunteers by turning out to things where
they shouldn't be turned up to unnecessary just because we
haven't done our due diligence along those sorts of things
as well. So and quite often through any just the
lastings around permits is that quite often we can cancel
a permits. So we think there's a whole lot of
you know, like a spike day or really hot weather
coming in or windy weathers and you've got a permit,
(05:17):
doesn't mean we're going to necessary. We contact those people
and say, please don't burn over this time. The weathers
are not are looking good for that burn, can you
please hold off? So it's not a car blanche to burn.
So just we need people have common sense amountains out.
Speaker 1 (05:29):
You talk about common sense, you talk about fat fires.
One thing that really intrigues me, Julian, is when you
guys bring that trailer around to the different shows and
the likes happening around the South and showing what happens
when you put water on a fat fire. That thing
just still blows my mind. No pun intended, No, you
did right.
Speaker 2 (05:48):
It's quite quite visial, isn't it. And just that's just
the putting the wrong thing on the wrong place. Now,
who wouldn't think about chucking water on a fire, you know,
that's our first reaction. But the reality is what you're
talking about, Andy, is it absolutely the wrong thing to do.
So there's other ways of putting that fire out, you know,
turning it off at the wall for a start, if
it's safe to do so, chucking a fire blanket on
top of that, just to stop that, you know, but
(06:09):
certainly water splashes it all over the place, Isn't that interesting?
A lot of people are very blown away by that, Mandy,
that how much damage it can do by chucking a
pot of water on it.
Speaker 1 (06:18):
Just explain what a fire blanket does.
Speaker 2 (06:20):
Well, A fire blanket really in this case, proved blanket
is something like it's just putting a couple of putting
the pot look back on and taking away the ability
for it to get that oxygen and keep burning. So yeah,
it's just another way of you know, shutting that fire
off and stopping that frame from spreading. But of course
we only talk about those things when it's safe to
(06:41):
do so. Quite often, if that fire is too big
and it's get yourself out, get yourself out, wring one
more money and get us down there as soon as possible.
Don't try nothing crazy and trying to put this fire
out at the extense of getting burns or getting froken
elation or risking anyone's life. Put it that way.
Speaker 1 (06:56):
Great words to finish on, Julie, and always appreciate your
time on the Master.
Speaker 2 (07:00):
Worries mate, hate good to talk to you. And be
safe out there this spring time in the summer. You know,
I think everything's due for another drive summer apparently, So
let's just keep keep our people safe out there by
doing the right things.
Speaker 1 (07:14):
Julian to Hierarchi a final emergency New Zealand. Some great
pointers as well, especially around the iron horses, check for
those bird nests, kick under the bottom and the likes.
Just got to be safe, right Nick Robinson from my
Twinny Young Farmers is up next. This is the Master
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