Vigilance urged against wildfire risk in parks

Wildfires in California, bushfires in Australia and some significant vegetation fires across New Zealand have brought global attention to fire risk and are a good reminder of the risks posed by wildfires closer to home in Auckland’s regional and local parks.

While Auckland’s cooler, damper climate provides some natural protection, climate change is intensifying conditions that could increase the likelihood of fires, particularly with the shift from last summer’s El Niño to La Niña, bringing drier and windier summer months.

Auckland Council’s general manager parks and community facilities, Taryn Crewe, says recent reports of informal “bush cleaning” by community members in urban local parks — where decaying wood and understorey plants are removed — have raised concerns.

“These practices can inadvertently increase fire risk by encouraging invasive plant species, which are often more flammable than native vegetation,” Crewe says.

“In other countries, bush cleaning can be a way of preventing fires and encouraging seeds to germinate, as well as to clear old vegetation to let light in.

“However, many New Zealand forest species prefer damp conditions and shade to germinate.”

Regional parks manager Scott De Silva adds that while practices like “bush cleaning” and controlled burns may be appropriate in some overseas parks, they aren’t appropriate in New Zealand parks.

“If we remove regenerating native understorey, we risk enabling invasive plants like pampas, gorse and prickly hakea to dominate,” he says.

“These species form highly flammable monocultures and can increase fire danger over time.

“Of course, the primary goal is ensuring fires don’t start in the first place, so we urge all park users to take care while enjoying their time outdoors.”

Auckland is currently in a restricted fire season. Anyone who wants to light an outdoor fire will need a fire permit authorised by Fire and Emergency NZ, which they can apply for at checkitsalright.nz.

Open fires, including charcoal barbecues, are prohibited in all public areas throughout Auckland.

This includes on beaches and foreshores, in parks, conservation areas and forests.

It’s prohibited to light fireworks in any public places.

The council urges residents and park visitors to take these steps to help protect Auckland’s natural spaces:

• Respect fire bans: check current restrictions and avoid activities that could spark fires, such as using open flames or discarding lit materials.
• Be mindful of conditions: windy days significantly increase fire risks; refrain from activities that could ignite dry vegetation.
• Support native ecosystems: avoid removing native plants or undertaking unauthorised “clean-ups” in reserves; healthy native vegetation helps buffer fire spread.
• Manage vegetation at home: for those living near rural or parkland areas, maintain defensible space around properties by removing flammable materials like dry grass, leaves, and twigs; replace highly flammable species with lower flammability alternatives.