Wildfires have consequences
Northland Conservancy
Department of Conservation
Te Papa Atawhai
PO Box 842, Whangarei
February 2008
The costs
Whether you meant to start it, or it got away from you - there
are consequences. If you’re found responsible for starting a
wildfire, especially if you try to hide the fact or pretend you’re
not responsible - you pay for it no matter how much it is. It
could be hundreds of thousands of dollars.
It’s not just about the money. It’s about the cost to your family, friends
and neighbours and being tagged with the damage forever.
In recent times, at various sites around Northland, people have been
found to be associated with wildfires. When they were interviewed,
they admitted to lighting up toilet paper, holding an illegal burn-off,
and having an illegal campfire. Costs ranged from $5000 to $200,000.
When fireworks went wrong at Mangawhai Beach the family responsible
had to pay, even though the fire was an accident.
Fires really
aren’t cool
Rural fire organizations in Northland are getting a good handle on how
wildfires start and they’re learning a lot more about the people who
light them. It’s against the law to start a wildfire – every one of them
is investigated.
Maybe you started the fire because you were angry, or bored,
or thought it would be cool to cause trouble - or your mates
wanted you to. Maybe you didn’t mean to, but you were careless
or just didn’t think about it.
It’s not easy to look cool in a court room when everyone’s
staring at you – and you know the fire is your fault. Rural fire
organisations don’t enjoy it either. They would much rather not
be in the court or interview room with you. So stay out of it
and stay away from the things and people that start wildfires.
Protect yourself, your family, your friends, your property.
It’s not worth the risk. Don’t be a loser!
The loss
Everyone in a wildfire loses. The person found responsible will lose
money directly. Everyone else loses money because of the cost to the
Department of Conservation (through the taxes you pay) and to councils
(through your rates). Other things you need these organizations to do for
you get put aside to fight the fire. Land you own (public conservation
land) and the plants and animals that live on it are destroyed – literally
gone up in smoke.
Your
inheritance
•
Wildfires kill plants and animals on your land as well as conservation
land.
•
They destroy other people’s property.
•
They take hundreds of people away from their regular jobs and lives
and put those people at risk.
•
They cost a fortune.
The death of a few native birds or skinks and burned trees might not seem
very important to you. The point is, they’re someone else’s taonga, they
belong to all New Zealanders - and they’re your children’s inheritance.
Wildfires in Northland have killed whole populations of animals and
plants people have spent years trying to protect.
Kiwi, kukupa, fern birds and hundreds of skinks and geckos have died
horribly trying to escape the smoke and flames. Often they’re burnt
alive.
Rata, pohutukawa, orchids, flaxes and kauri are among the plants burned
to the ground. It takes generations for some to grow to full size, but
only minutes to kill them.
In the past two years, wildfires have swept through more than 280
hectares of Northland forest and bush. It cost more than $960,000 and
hundreds of hours to fight those fires.
Wildfires start in a moment and take a lifetime to pay for. Don’t
let this be your fault. Help rural fire organizations reduce wildfires
in Northland.