Homes evacuated as fire rages at lake
Houses were evacuated as a large fire burned through forest on the shores of Lake Hawea, near Wanaka, last night.
A Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ) spokesman said the fire was burning on the west side of State Hightway 6 (SH6) near the Lake Hawea township, about 17km from Wanaka. Fire crews were called to the scene at 5.20pm and were later joined by a helicopter.
Homes being threatened have values over $2 million, according to property records, and thick smoke could be seen billowing over roofs.
Rebecca Cotter’s family was among those evacuated. She was in her neighbour’s house when her husband, a firefighter, called and told her and their children to leave. She did not have a chance to go home before they did.
‘‘We were just told to get off the mountain of course because it was spreading quite rapidly . . . Everyone was taken off and they were all accounted for.’’
She said the event was ‘‘pretty scary’’.
‘‘We live in a forest, we’ve always talked about if there’s a fire we need to get out very quickly because we knew it would spread.’’
She said it was good to have her husband fighting the fire as ‘‘it’s more hands on deck’’.
Cotter went to stay with other family in the Lake Hawea township after the fire and had no idea when she would return home. But she was optimistic. ‘‘The helicopters are doing an amazing job because it looks more controlled now . . . you can see a lot of smoke.’’
SH6 from Wanaka to Makarora was closed at the intersection with Capell Ave in the Lake Hawea township. New Zealand Transport Agency was warning motorists to avoid the area if possible.
The FENZ spokesman said seven fire crews and five helicopters were fighting the fire as of 8.30pm, which was ‘‘basically contained’’, covered about five hectares, and threatening lifestyle blocks.
He said the helicopters were being hampered by strong winds, and would have to pull out if it got above a certain level. They would also have to stand down when the light ran out.
Every load the helicopters could drop at that stage would have ‘‘a dramatic impact’’ on fighting the fire.
He said crews were protecting buildings and none had been lost at this stage, although one was still being treated as a priority.
A change of wind and weather was expected at about midnight, bringing light rain, the spokesman said. Crews on the ground were expected to be there for several more hours.
Earlier, Lake Hawea Hotel staffer Marieke Miller said as well as the main fire there were several other spot fires she could see in the trees. ‘‘I would probably be worried about the little fires that are popping up.’’
She said it looked like the fire had started from the highway and was heading up the hill, and there were four or five houses above it.
Sally Currie, who owns a home above where the fire was raging last night, said the fire was on the Mt Maud side of the highway.
Currie was in Wanaka, but said she could see the smoke from there.
The blaze was going to be hard to control because it was very windy, she said. ‘‘The whole side of the hill is pine, there’s a whole bunch of pine needles around it. It’s really dry, there’s a nor’west wind. It’s a bad recipe.’’
Currie said the wind was blowing up the lake toward the town.
A man who could see the fire said it was ‘‘fairly large’’ and the wind quite severe. He believed it started near he Lake Hawea campground and was making its way around the hill.