Lake Okareka Volunteer Fire Brigade - Media

Overnight House Fire in Reporoa

17/8/2021

The Reporoa house was completely destroyed. Photo / Supplied

A Reporoa woman has described waking to find her neighbour's house burnt to the ground this morning. A Fire and Eme rgency New Zealand spokeswoman said the Strathmore Rd single-storey house was "well-involved" when crews arrived around 2am.

Two fire trucks and two tankers were at the scene from Taupō and Lake Ōkāreka. All people in the house were accounted for, and there was no damage to neighbouring properties. A neighbour, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the house was "well and truly gone by the time I got up at 3.30am".

Firefighters were called to the blaze around 2am. Photo / Supplied

She thought she heard a noise during the night but thought nothing of it, however, she noticed flashing lights. After getting up, she noticed the fire trucks at her neighbour's house. She said the house was smoking with small flames and she ran back to get her partner so they could move the horses from the paddock.

Police were at the scene to help firefighters and a spokeswoman said there were inquiries under way into the circumstances. A fire investigator is investigating the cause.

Controlled Burn Used As Training Exercise

31/7/2021

The controlled burn starting to pick up. Photo / Supplied

Those who passed by Mt Ngongotahā this afternoon may have seen some billows of smoke and flickering of flames - but there was no need to panic.

A large fire burning on the side of Mt Ngongotahā this afternoon was a controlled burn. Scrub was burnt on a block of land above the Adventure Playground tourist attraction, where gorse and scrub have grown in the area over the years.

Prime Forest Management Ltd consultant Shane Perrett said the owners were planning to clear it and plant pine trees. Given the state of the land, it was too hard to get machinery in there to clear it, so fire was being used instead to prepare the land, he said.

The helicopter in action during the controlled burn. Photo / Andrew Warner

He said about 30 hectares was part of the controlled burn.

Helicopters were used and about 15 people were involved, including Fire and Emergency New Zealand staff who used the fire as a training exercise. Before the controlled burn began a briefing was held.

A monsoon bucket with water and foam was also used to dampen and protect a small, empty cabin structure from being a part of the burn. The helicopter and bucket in the sky was quite a sight, and some of those doing Rotorua clay bird shooting paused to watch.

A monsoon bucket was used to help protect a small cabin from the controlled burn. Photo / Shauni James

Perrett said the controlled burn didn't take off as much as planned, which may have been due to temperature. He said they might give it another crack in a few weeks depending on weather.

Jarron McInnes, deputy principal rural fire officer, had said beforehand he hoped all the Fire and Emergency New Zealand staff attending would walk away with some key learnings. He said using the controlled burn as a training exercise was about knowing your fire environment and the behaviour you could expect.

Afterwards he said, despite it not taking off like expected, the firefighters certainly saw some fire behaviour and got key learnings which was good training for them, and it gave them some experience using hand tools.

The helicopter at work. Photo / Supplied

54-Year-Old Man Dies After Crash at Lake Okareka

27/4/2021

Police have confirmed a man died following a single-vehicle crash at Lake Ōkareka.

The crash happened on Millar Rd about 2.45pm on Wednesday. In a statement, police said the driver and sole occupant of the vehicle was taken to Rotorua Hospital with serious injuries, where he died on Friday. He was 54-year-old Paul Bevan Beazley of the Bay of Plenty.

Last week, the road was closed and diversions were in place while the Serious Crash Unit investigated. A St John spokeswoman said two ambulances and one helicopter were sent to the scene.

Lake Okareka Fire Station Officially Opened

23/3/2021

Bay of Plenty’s newest fire station, at Lake Okareka, was opened by Internal Affairs Minister Hon. Jan Tinetti on Saturday.

The Lake Okareka brigade had operated out of an old rural fire depot since 1985, and although that depot had served the community and brigade well, it was no longer fit for purpose. It was too small for the brigade’s 32 members and didn’t have training facilities or many of the features – like basic ablutions - expected in a modern fire station.

The new station has an appliance bay that houses the brigade’s three vehicles (a fire appliance, water tanker and smoke chaser), training and decontamination facilities, and a large meeting room and kitchen facilities. It is fully seismically strengthened so will continue to be a reliable base for the community after a large earthquake.

Minister Tinetti thanked the Lake Okareka volunteers for their great service to the community and acknowledged families for their ongoing support. She noted the new station is a real asset for the Lake Okareka community and beyond.

Fire and Emergency Board Chair Paul Swain acknowledged the fundraising efforts of the local brigade and a grant from the Rotorua Energy Charitable Trust towards this project, which mean the training room, kitchen and bathrooms are available for community use.

He also acknowledged the change in types of incidents since the brigade was first formed and stressed the importance of looking out for each other.

The event was also attended by Councillor Dave Donaldson, Kaumatua Wairangi Jones and Pererika Mahika, co-founders of the brigade Peter Harding and Martin Caughey, long-time Lake Okareka resident Fenella Payne, Lake Okareka Contoller Phil Muldoon, and Lake Okareka Rural Fire Brigade members, family and friends.

L-R Internal Affairs Minister Hon. Jan Tinetti, Rotorua Energy Charitable Trust's Tony Gill, Fire and Emergency Board Chair Paul Swain, Lake Okareka Contoller Phil Muldoon, and Councillor Dave Donaldson

Fire and Emergency Board Chair Paul Swain addresses attendees

Minister Tinetti declares Lake Okareka Fire Station open

Outstanding Rotorua student wins Myers scholarship to Cambridge - Universities NZ

22/3/2021

Ishan Nath, former deputy head boy, academic captain and leader of the academic committee at Rotorua’s John Paul College, has been awarded the prestigious Sir Douglas Myers scholarship to study at Cambridge University in England.

Eighteen-year-old Ishan plans to apply to study the Mathematical Tripos at Cambridge, due to the breadth of content-including number fields, logic, quantum mechanics, quantum computing and general relativity.

Ishan’s academic achievements include gaining Outstanding Scholarships in calculus (the first as a Year 11 student) and Statistics alongside Scholarships in Earth and Space Science, and Physics.

Ishan has also represented New Zealand in the International Mathematics Olympiad for the last three years, achieving a bronze medal in 2018 and 2019. In the 2020 edition of the Olympiad, Ishan 's score landed him a Gold Medal-only the second awarded to a New Zealand competitor in the history of the competition. Ishan also received a perfect score in the Australian Mathematical Olympiad and a Gold medal in the Asian Pacific Mathematical Olympiad.

Music, speech training and community service also feature prominently in Ishan’s achievements. He has learned both piano and guitar to a high standard and played in the school orchestra, was a member of the school debating team, and completed Speech New Zealand certificates and diploma. His community service includes volunteering with Trade Aid in Rotorua, and working as a volunteer fire brigade member with the Lake Okareka Fire Force.

Sharing his passion for mathematics has been important to him. "My passion for mathematics ignited when I was exposed to Olympiad mathematics, firstly with the New Zealand Maths Olympiad Committee Camp Selection problems, then with the camp itself," he says.

"I learnt that mathematics was not a subject meant to be rote-learnt but was instead full of creativity and artistic interpretation. Even after finishing my career as an Olympiad mathematician, I keep on returning to these problems as a problem-solving challenge and to explore mathematical ideas that I have not yet seen.

"After numerous experiences teaching mathematics, as an invited lecturer, an online workshop volunteer, and as a paid tutor, I have always been inspired by seeing students solve these problems with their own creative processes."

Ishan’s ambitions and future plans are connected to his activities through his school years. "Both aspects of physics and computer science interest me, so while pure mathematics is appealing, I would enjoy entering an applied field and working on problems with real-world impacts… or fundamental problems in modern physics," he says. "Service towards my community is an important part of my life at the moment, and I hope that in ten years it will remain that way… I wish to remain involved with Fire and Emergency New Zealand and keep on helping out as a volunteer firefighter, and possibly become a crew leader and help people get into volunteer firefighting. I aim to also continue my passions in music and drama, by playing in orchestras or bands and by partaking in local productions.

"I am sure to be involved in the Olympiad community, no matter where I am located. Both my love for maths, as well as my desire to give back to this community that helped me develop my mathematical skills, have inspired me to help the next generation of mathematicians."

The late Sir Douglas Myers set up this scholarship 18 years ago for academically gifted students intending to return to New Zealand to become leaders in their chosen fields.

John Taylor, Chair of the Myers Scholarship Selection Committee, says "We were delighted to hear from the Caius Director of Studies in Mathematics that Ishan was up with the best students he had interviewed over the past 25 years! Given that the Mathematics Tripos is traditionally regarded as the toughest degree at Cambridge, Ishan has shown that our top NZ mathematics students can compete with the best in the world. We will be following this hugely talented young man’s career with great interest in the years ahead."

Sir Douglas Myers, a well-known businessman and former leader in the brewing industry, graduated with a BA in History from Gonville and Caius College. He was a significant supporter of education, business, sport and the arts, and this scholarship continues his outstanding legacy of finding ways to create opportunities to encourage young New Zealanders to succeed in global competition.

The scholarship provides tuition and college fees and a living allowance and is worth approximately £34,000 or $60,000 per annum.

Universities New Zealand, formerly the New Zealand Vice-Chancellors’ Committee, administers this scholarship in addition to around 40 other undergraduate and postgraduate scholarships.

Applications for the 2022 Sir Douglas Myers Scholarship close on 1 December 2021.

Classic Cars Among Damage in Large Rotorua Blaze

5/2/2021

A large fire has destroyed the contents of a Paradise Valley property including at least three classic cars and a large truck. The blaze broke out at a property on Paradise Valley Rd about 11pm, spreading through the building and then into neighbouring shrub.

A Rotorua Daily Post reporter at the scene said the fire had destroyed a large shed about 40m by 40m and what looked to be at least three classic cars and a large truck could be seen among the rubble. A house on the property hadn't been damaged.

Damage from a fire at a Paradise Valley property last night. Photo / Kelly Makiha

The man who lives at the property arrived at the house just after 9am. He said he was too devastated to talk as he had lost everything. He said he was now meeting with the fire safety investigator.

A Bay of Plenty Regional Council worker arrived at the property just before 9am and said they had been called to check if contaminants had leaked into the nearby steam.

A neighbouring couple, who didn't want to be named, said they were asleep with their ranch slider door open about 11pm when they heard a massive bang that woke them up. "I thought someone had slammed the door," the woman said. They then looked outside and saw the fire. "It just went boom. Then there were five to six big booms."

Classic cars are among the damage in a Paradise Valley fire. Photo / Andrew Warner

Alec Martin, an emergency response team member who lives in the area, said he and his children headed to the scene after hearing "a real loud explosion" last night.

Eight fire appliances and four tankers were sent to the scene.

A large house fire broke out on Paradise Valley Road, in Rotorua, about 11pm. Photo / Supplied

"We shot down and found the house was full on ablaze," he said. "We parked up in the driveway and I tried to get the lady out of the neighbouring house but she was too scared to leave. My daughter called the fire brigade. "That house was a couple of hundred metres from the fire but I was worried about it spreading. She ended up coming out in the end but the fire crews stopped it spreading that far."
Martin said the building on fire was a "workman's shed". "It was huge and crazy hot. The shed had gas canisters and chemicals so there were quite a few explosions, it was pretty freaky. "It was away from the house but it burnt out all the neighbouring trees and stuff. There is a guy who stays in the shed so we were a bit worried someone was in there but thankfully not." There were initial reports of people inside the home, but it was later established that the residents were not at home when the fire broke out.

A fire truck and tanker stayed at the scene through the night to monitor for hotspots.

Local resident Alley James said he and his neighbours were walking around their properties about 11pm because they could smell the smoke and he and his mother-in-law up the hill and another neighbour down the road were walking around their properties checking to see if the smoke smell was coming from near them. "Twenty minutes later a loud bang was heard. Originally, I thought it was just a hunter shooting a high powered rifle. All of a sudden a massive explosion was not only heard but felt as well. "Flames licked the night sky as the surrounding trees and foliage were set ablaze." He described the smell as being like plastic burning. He said neighbours all rushed to call emergency services. James, who had lived in the area for 16 years, said he didn't know the people who lived at the house and understood they hadn't been there long.

Another neighbour, who didn't want to be named, said a woman lived in the house (on the property) and a man lived in a nearby house bus. She was one of several neighbours who heard the explosion and also called emergency services. She said she and her family came down to look but left the area to let the large contingent of firefighters do their job to contain the fire as there were fears of it spreading to surrounding bush and trees.

Matakana Island Fire: Five Helicopters and Five Crews Fight Fire For 8th Day

21/12/2020

Five helicopters and five rural firefighter crews are still fighting the fire on Matakana Island today, eight days after it started. Those fighting the fire are being praised by a former resident of the island who said the blaze had been "devastating" to watch.

A Fire and Emergency New Zealand spokesman said the extent of the damage, and how long they would need to stay on the island, was unknown. Homes were not currently at risk and the fire had been all forestry.

Today rural firefighters from Te Puke, Lake Okareka, Lake Tarawera and Okere Falls were on the island which was "still on fire". MetService meteorologist Tom Adams said it would be more humid with a few showers tomorrow but there would also be moderate winds in the morning. The winds will pick up again on Wednesday and Christmas Eve will be a wet day which might offer some relief with an estimated 20mm to 30mm of rain.

On Saturday, smoke was seen billowing after the fire jumped a fire break causing it to resurge. The fire initially started on December 13. Smoke was seen from around the city, with an Otumoetai resident reporting fine ash falling on his Grange Rd property.

On Sunday, two helicopters, three ground crews and two bulldozers were involved in the efforts.

Tauranga resident Rachael Garrett grew up on the island and said watching it burn was "devastating" and a "shock". Garrett was on the island the day before the initial blaze with her in-laws who she had taken for a drive down the beach and she had mentioned that in all her years there had never been a fire. "The very next day we had a fire, and that was devastating. I couldn't believe it."

On the Saturday the blaze reignited, and she headed out on the water and looked at where the fire had been the week prior and said there was no smoke. "From the time it took for me to get from that side of the island, back up Hunter's Creek, all of a sudden there was a whole lot of smoke." Within 40 minutes, the helicopters had arrived. "I just found them absolutely amazing, they were constantly going."

Matakana Island is also the home of the Department of Conservation's dotterel breeding programme. The dotterel is an endangered small shorebird found only in New Zealand, with only 2500 birds left. The programme was initially set up in 1992, and has led to more than 300 successfully fledged chicks over that time. The relative isolation of the island's beaches is a key element in the successful breeding, making it one the country's top breeding sites.

Matakana Island Fire: Crews Battling Blaze One Week On

20/12/2020

A fire on Bay of Plenty's Matakana Island is still burning a week after it started.

Last Sunday, a large fire burned for more than 24 hours on the island and crews remained on scene all week but it flared up again on Saturday. Matakana Island sits 2km off the coast of Tauranga and is home to nearly 200 people.

This morning, more than 80 firefighters were battling the blaze with three fresh crews from as far away as Ngāruawāhia brought over by ferry, as well as five helicopters.

Principal rural fire officer Steve Webb said the fire, which was burning through a forestry block, increased from 19 hectares to about 40ha after it flared up. Webb said the fuel source was making it difficult to get it under control. "What we have is a problem where lots of fuel that hasn't burnt through and burnt properly, and it hasn't been consumed properly," he said. "So it is still smoldering and smoking so it gets worse in the heat of the day."

The fire was contained but that could change quickly, Webb said. "If we get any hot, dry, windy weather there is a possibility it could go across the containment lines. "So that is what we are working hard on over the next 48 hours to make sure we eliminate the fire doing that and that is where all the hard dirty slog comes in."

Volunteers from the mainland have been rallying around the firefighters. Shaan Kingi from Katikati Māori Wardens said when the blaze broke out, they offered their support to whānau on the island. "We got teams together to get bottles of water, chocolates and Up&Gos to make sure the crews had some to snack on," Kingi said.

Matakana Island resident Marlene Samuels said it had been a long week, but fire crews had been working incredibly hard. "That does concern us, these are our family, sons, uncles," Samuels said. "We are concerned for their health and safety but they are doing a good job." She said although the fire was burning near their community, the smoke was not having much of an impact. "We're not that much affected on our side but I understand residents in Otūmoetai are getting more of the smoke than what we are." She said they were grateful for the support that had been offered to the tight-knit community. "We are all family, we are all connected to each other and we care about what happens. "We are just keeping an eye on each other and making sure we are looking after each other."

Fire and Emergency said they were aware of the smoke drifting towards Tauranga City and told residents if they were affected to stay indoors and close windows. Those who needed medical advice were told to contact healthline. Fire crews were expected to be on the island for several more days yet.

Two Helicopters and Three Rural Fire Crews Battle Matakana Island Blaze

19/12/2020

Two helicopters, three Fire and Emergency New Zealand ground crew and a couple of bulldozers are involved in the huge efforts to extinguish a large blaze on Matakana Island. A helicopter flew to Matakana Island yesterday to help ground crews on Matakana Island after a fire had jumped a fire break causing a resurgence, six days after the initial blaze. Last Sunday, a large fire on Matakana Island off Tauranga burned for more than 24 hours before it was brought under control.

A Fire and Emergency New Zealand shift manager said two helicopters and three ground crew of rural firefighters were still on the island trying to put out the blaze. Fire fighting resources also included a couple of bulldozers and the ground crews were working on a rational basis because of the conditions they were working in, he said.

A command centre spokesman said they could be on the island for several more days. A number of Bay of Plenty Times reporters earlier said they could see and smell smoke from Welcome Bay and driving over the Tauranga Harbour Bridge.

An Otumoetai resident who lives on Grange Rd said spots of fine ash could be seen swirling from his property. "Like a light snow." He said he first noticed the smell just before 3pm and it was getting "stronger and stronger".

Firefighters Spend More Than Five Hours Battling Blazes Near Paengaroa Rotorua

10/10/2020

Firefighters spent more than five hours battling fires around the wider Bay of Plenty yesterday.

Police and emergency services staff responded to both a large bush fire on a farm property near Rotorua and a large shelter belt blaze near the Te Puke highway around 2pm and 3pm yesterday. A police spokeswoman said police were alerted at 3.02pm to the fire on State Highway 30 between Bryce and Apirana Rds.

Fire and Emergency New Zealand personnel were on the scene, and due to it being quite windy in the area, the road was being reduced down to one lane, she said. Downers were assisting with traffic management and motorists should expect delays.

Fire and Emergency NZ shift manager Kaisey Cook said there were three fire appliances and two water tankers on the scene of the 30m by 50m blaze. Firefighters from Rotorua and Lake Okareka stations were working to put out the fire which was on a farm near Bryce Rd, she said. Cook said the cause of the fire was unknown and there had been no reports of any risk to any nearby structures.

Meanwhile, firefighters from Maketū and Te Puke stations are working to put out a shelterbelt fire on a farm in Gulliver Rd, Paengaroa near Te Puke Highway, she said. Cook said the fire service was called at 2.20pm and three fire appliances and two tankers from Maketū and Te Puke were on the scene of the 300m by 30m blaze.

Garage Fire "Well Involved" in Rotorua

25/5/2020

A garage fire was "well-involved" at Tikitere, off Te Ngae Rd near Rotorua Airport this morning.

Two crews from Rotorua Fire Station and a water tanker from Lake Okareka are currently at the property on Hawthornden Drive.

A Rotorua Daily Post photographer at the scene said an external garage had caught fire and there was a boat inside it. Fire crews were dampening down the shed.

A Fire and Emergency spokesman said the garage was five by nine metres wide and there was no danger to the house or any other properties. He said there were no injuries. A fire investigator has been called to determine the cause.

Bay of Plenty Fire Restrictions to Lift

5/5/2020

Fire restrictions are about to be lifted but authorities remind people to take care.

Fire restrictions affecting the Bay of Plenty area will be lifted from tomorrow.

Pumicelands, Central Lakes and Bay of Plenty Coast will move to an Open Fire Season, effective from 8am. However, all Department of Conservation land will remain in a year-long Restricted Fire Season.

Principal rural fire officer Steve Webb said despite the lifting, while the region was under a Covid-19 alert level 3, people were asked to continue to hold off lighting any non-essential fires until it was safe to do so. "Even though we are now in an open season, we ask people to seriously consider whether the fire is absolutely necessary and think about alternatives to burning. "Lighting fires is likely to generate a 111 call from the public whether they are out of control or not. This means our firefighters then need to leave their bubbles to deal with a preventable call."

Webb said everyone has been asked be more vigilant than ever to prevent the spread of the virus. "Help us keep you and our firefighters safe during this time and don't light outdoor fires if you don't need to." Webb said people still needed to ensure they complied with local bylaws and rules regarding smoke and air pollution, regardless of what fire season it was.

For more information on how to reduce the risk of fire visit www.checkitsalright.nz.

Fire Crews at Scene of Scrub Fire near Mourea

13/3/2020

Fire crews work to put out the scrub fire.

Fire crews are at the scene of a scrub fire near Mourea. A Fire and Emergency NZ spokesman said five crews were battling the fire which was 150m by 100m. The crews from Rotorua, Ngongotahā, Okere Falls, and Lake Ōkareka and were called to the scene about 1.40pm.

A worker at Whangamarino School in Mourea said she went to get her lunch and saw what looked like someone burning rubbish on a rural property. She said there was not much smoke at that stage, but one of their bus drivers had just come in saying there was a decent amount coming from the property. "It must have gotten bigger."

An Okere Falls store worker said they could not see any smoke from their store, but had heard a call-out between their store and Mourea.

Fire crews have been at the scene since 1.40pm.

Helicopters, Trucks and Tankers Battle Scrub Fire in Atiamuri

5/2/2020

A "tricky" scrub fire in Atiamuri took firefighters over five hours to fully extinguish. The one-acre fire on Nicholson Rd, Atiamuri was reported at 2.30pm yesterday. One helicopter, four fire trucks from Rotorua and two tankers from Ngongotahā and Lake Ōkareka, battled the blaze. A Fire and Emergency media spokesman said the location was "tricky" and crews were on site until 8pm. No one was injured.

Huge Fire Risk Prompts Closure of Tarawera Forest

4/2/2020

The high risk of fire has prompted the closure of the Tarawera Forest to the public until further notice just days before the area's biggest running event. The closure included Mt Putauaki, Tarawera Outlet and the popular Tarawera Falls. The Tarawera Ultra Marathon will still go ahead, however, no permits for personal vehicle access in the forest will be issued. Yesterday a prohibited fire season was declared for Central Lakes, Bay Of Plenty Coast and Pumicelands.

All fire permits have been suspended in the area as the fire was is too high, principal rural fire officer Steve Webb said. During a prohibited fire season only gas and charcoal barbecue's can be used. Hangi was still allowed, but people must contact Fire and Emergency NZ when planning one so additional protection can be put in place. Webb said it was vitally important that people understand the risks. In extreme conditions, it only takes a spark to start a devastating wildfire. That spark can come from a piece of equipment such as a lawnmower, or a grinder, welding or a plough, he said. "To protect your home, keep roofs and gutters clear of dead leaves, debris and pine needles. Move anything that could burn away from exterior walls, decks or porches."

If the current conditions persist there may be a requirement to prohibit any activities that may cause fires to start. Yesterday, Fire and Emergency NZ advised that the fire danger level had been raised to "Very High" in Kawerau.

The Tarawera Ultra Marathon will be held on Saturday, and shuttles will be used to transport participants through the forest.