The La Nina weather pattern is expected to bring more rain to break up the dry periods. NIWA meteorologist Ben Noll said with the country experiencing a La Nina weather pattern in 2021, there was a god chance the region would break the drought pattern of the past three years. “[La Nina] typically brings good rainfall to the North Island and the top of the South Island. This time around it’s a bit on the dryer end of the scale, which is a different flavour to what we would typically get.” Noll said the dry weather from 2020 was felt right throughout New Zealand and Australia and all the way to the Chatham Islands.
“It just progressed so fast, by the time I saw the smoke it was already completely out of control.” The community came together two years on from the Tasman fires to commemorate the second anniversary of the event which spread across 2300 hectares and took more than 150 firefighters, 23 helicopters and two aircraft more than a month to bring under control.
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Former Tasman Mayor Richard Kempthorne at the opening of the ‘Ablaze’ exhibition at the Wakefield Village Hall. Kempthorne said the response from firefighters, helicopter pilots and all those involved was “phenomenal”. “Looking back on it, even now thinking how on Earth did the responders keep the properties as safe as they did?”
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Water consent holders in management zones across the Waimea Plains face stage 1 rationing from Monday, which is a 20 per cent cut in water use.
The first water restrictions of the summer in Tasman District are due to come into effect on Monday. For residents of Richmond, Hope, Brightwater, Redwood Valley, Māpua-Ruby Bay and Wakefield, the restrictions mean they will not be permitted to fill swimming pools although they will still be able to top them up. Watering grass and lawns will be banned but people using a hand-held hose will still be able to water plants and vegetable gardens as well as wash buildings and cars.