Reports are coming in of many scrub fires breaking out near the railway lines on Maunganui Road.
There are also fires reported near Bayfair. Large clouds of smoke are billowing across Maunganui Road.
Multiple fires have also broken out along the rail way line in Matapihi. Smoke is billowing across State Highway 29 between Baypark and Maungatapu.
There are reports that property owners in Matapihi are attempting to put out fires near their properties with buckets.
It was reported that sirens at Bayfair went off around 3.30pm.
"Everyone was evacuated into the wind with only towels," says one of the visitors to shopping centre. "Staff were great and organised us all to go to the evacuation site. There was a long wait for fire appliances to arrive but all was soon cleared."
The fires between Hull Road and Maunganui Road are being extinguished.
Maunganui Rd. Photo: Susan Sharpes
Maunganui Rd. Photo: Grant Harrison
Maunganui Rd. Photo: Grant Harrison
SH 29. Photo: Susan Sharpes
SH 29. Photo: Susan Sharpes
Matapihi. Photo: Cameron Avery
Matapihi residents helping to stop grass fires reaching properties. Photo: Cameron Avery
The fires can be seen from the slopes of Mauao
At the scene?
Call 0800 SUNLIVE or email photos to newsroom@thesun.co.nz
2 comments
Will some one do something?
Posted on 24-02-2019 17:57 | By Chookymac
Here it is again as I written in before Kiwirail could not give a shit an email I received from them said they are looking into it.Yeah I think they are looking into the weather forcast to see if they are going to let of the hook till next summer Do we have a Minister of Rail now? the spokeswoman for Kiwirail needs to do something NOW
Enough with the Railway Fires!
Posted on 24-02-2019 21:15 | By Bill Gibson-Patmore
Surely, everyone has been patient? ... Patient with Rail Operators, Councils, etc? ... It should be perfectly clear to even an average person - let alone someone of authority and knowledge, with access to expertise - that these persistent fires will inevitably cause significant property damage and personal injury or death unless the railway corridor is actually cleaned up! ... Along all local railway lines, there is an overgrown state of vegetation and untended weed infestation going back many years! ... Gorse bushes along Maunganui Road and Matapihi are up to four metres high in areas where there should be no noxious weeds, let alone dangerously flammable ones right beside rail lines and under control of KiwiRail and Councils... We know from media that KiwiRail and Councils are aware. Not enough is being done and lives are now at stake! Bill Gibson-Patmor
Leave a Comment
You must be logged in to make a comment.