Page 14 - Dave Stackhouse News Today : Breaking News, Live Updates & Top Stories | Vimarsana

Stacy Squires/Stuff Area commander Dave Stackhouse shows the areas where fireworks have been banned. The ban – which included Akaroa, Bottle Lake, New Brighton and the Port Hills – would take effect from 6pm on Wednesday. “These are all high risk areas and what we saw on Friday night was completely unnecessary and avoidable,” he said. Friday's fire, which burned through 25 hectares on the Port Hills, was caused by two youths playing with fireworks. Stackhouse said firefighters were working with police, but it was too early to say whether any charges would be laid. “Using firewo...

The ban is effective from 6pm this evening (16 December). Overnight on Friday there was a significant fire above Hillsborough which burnt through 25 hectares and caused around 40 homes to be evacuated. Fire and Emergency can now confirm the blaze was caused by fireworks late on Friday night. As a result, and with conditions drying out around Christchurch, Area Commander Dave Stackhouse is banning the use of fireworks under Section 52 of the Fire and Emergency Act. Section 52 of the Act allows Fire and Emergency to restrict activities that may start or cause the spread of fire. "These are all ...

A barn owned by Kester Vos was the only structure destroyed in the fire. He was yet to speak to police about the cause of the fire, but said he had encountered people drinking alcohol and lighting fireworks in the area regularly over the last 20 years. “Rather than barrelling in and go aggressive I’ve just pleaded with them to think about their actions and what could end up happening. It’s worked for about 20 years.” He said it “defied commonsense” why people chose to let off fireworks on the hills when the Hillsborough Domain was nearby. “When you’re setting off fireworks...

Close watch kept on hot spots in Port Hills © RNZ / Conan Young Firefighters are continuing to dampen down hot spots on the Port Hills in Christchurch following a large scrub fire. The blaze has now been contained but around 40 properties were evacuated when it broke out above Hillsborough on Friday night. Fire and Emergency says one crew carried out perimeter patrols as well as watching hot spots overnight. Four crews will be on site this morning to carry out more perimeter patrols and to continue dampening hot spots. The fire has destroyed around 25 to 30 hectares of land. Fire investigat...

Large scrub fire in Port Hills, Christchurch Large scrub fire in Port Hills, Christchurch Saturday, December 12, 2020 RNZ An evacuation centre has been set up for people who've had to leave their homes overnight as a wildfire burns out of control in Christchurch's Port Hills. People have been evacuated from Avoca Valley Road and Port Hills Road after a fire began spreading in the area overnight. Civil Defence is now co-ordinating accommodation at St Martin's School Hall for any evacuees who need assistance. Around 5.30am Fire and Emergency said it was continuing to work on the...