Emergency services controlling blaze near Lake Hawea

Date:

Nov 2, 2018

A fire at Lake Hawea, near Wanaka now appears to be under control.

Emergency services from New Zealand Police and Fire and Emergency NZ (FENZ) are continuing to tackle the fire in pine trees near Lake Hawea which began around 5.20pm today. The fire has closed State Highway 6 and caused the evacuation of approximately ten people living close to the affected area. It is hoped the road, a key route between the West Coast and Wanaka will be reopened as soon as possible.

Bobby Lamont, Deputy Principal Rural Fire Officer for Central Otago said there are no reports of damage to structures or infrastructure at this stage.

“All six affected local households were evacuated at an early stage. Our priorities are containing the fire and protecting structures. At this stage we have everything under control quite nicely,” he said.

Around 5-10ha of pine forest are currently affected on the slopes of Mount Maude to the south-west of Lake Hawea township. The exact starting point and cause of the fire are not yet known.

Five helicopters have been using monsoon buckets to control the fire while five FENZ crews from Hawea, Wanaka, Luggate, Tarras and Dunstan have been tackling the blaze on the ground.

At present Police have closed State Highway 6 in both directions, to the south of Lake Hawea at the junction of Camphill Road and to the north just beyond the Lake Hawea Holiday Camp. There is currently no road access to Lake Hawea township from the north. Vehicles are being diverted from the south via Hawea Flat and Kane Road.

Travellers between the West Coast and Wanaka should plan for significant delays until the fire is under control. Anyone travelling east from Haast should remain at Makarora, where there are facilities, until further notice. Travellers heading west from Wanaka should remain in Wanaka. There are limited facilities for people already in Hawea at the Lake Hawea Community Centre.

ENDS