BC4999
Great Barrier Island is considered to have
a high wildfire risk.
The high flammability of the vegetation types
mixed with the coastal winds and access difficulties
add to increasing the risk of fire, with the main
causes of fire from generator shed fires, gas fridge
fires with agricultural burn-offs and careless
activities such as fireworks and flares making up the
remainder. The most recent and significant wildfire
on Great Barrier Island occurred in January 2013
near Claris Airport, which sparked by a campfire
ember. The total area burnt was 116ha.
Know your hazards:
Great Barrier
Great Barrier Island wildfire, January 2013
(Source: Auckland Rural Fire Authority)
Since 1854, 50 shipwrecks have occurred
on the coast of Great Barrier Island.
In 1894, 121 lives were lost when the Union
Steam Ship Company’s vessel SS Wairarapa
struck Miners Head on the northern tip of Great
Barrier Island, making it New Zealand’s third
worst shipwreck to date.
SS Wairarapa wrecked on Great Barrier Island,
October 1894 (Source: Descent from Disaster)
Understanding your hazards and being prepared
It’s important that you are aware of the hazards around you, so you can plan to
look after yourself and your loved ones if a disaster was to occur. Get your family or
household together and agree on a plan. A functional emergency plan helps alleviate
fears about potential disasters, and can help you respond safely and quickly when a
disaster happens.
Emergency alerts and warnings are issued to draw your attention to
emergencies from hazards, and to encourage you to take a specific action.
There are different ways you can receive alerts and warnings, for example;
text alerts, public address systems, or television and radio.
You can keep up-to-date before, during and after an emergency by
subscribing to one or all of our emergency alert and warning systems.
Great Barrier Island fire, January 2013 (Photo: Auckland Rural Fire Authority)
Living with risk is a part of life. We can’t predict emergencies, but we can reduce
their impact and prepare ourselves to recover quickly. The Great Barrier Local
Board area has a complex range of hazards. The community’s exposure to this
diverse range of hazards is determined by where, when and how often they occur.
Your home might be located in a tsunami zone, affected by power outages,
susceptible to flooding or landslides. Knowing and understanding the hazards in
your area will help you to be better prepared in an emergency.
Visit aucklandcivildefence.org.nz for more information.
To learn more about being prepared for an emergency go to getthru.govt.nz
For more information on the hazards within the Great Barrier Local Board, please see full
report at aucklandcouncil.govt.nz, search keywords “Know your Hazards”.
Flooding is the most frequently occurring natural hazard event on Great Barrier Island.
Flood prone areas on Great Barrier Island are generally around the low lying plains along the
eastern coast of the island near Claris, Kaitoke Beach, Medlands Beach, Awana Valley, and
Whangapoua Beach. These flood prone areas are topographical depressions and occur naturally, or
are created by dammed gullies generated by man-made features such as roads and tracks. Awana
Valley (on average) gets flooded six to eight times per year from heavy rainfall events, such as on
26 November 2005, when a slow moving low crossed over the north island resulting in heavy rain,
hail and strong winds.
Did you know Great Barrier Island was formed by a period of volcanic eruptions
over 11 million years ago?
The island is not considered an active volcano anymore, and therefore does not pose a local
threat. Located outside the Auckland Volcanic Field the main impact from a full scale eruption
in Auckland would be from ash fall. Ash fall can create health risks such as eye or lung irritations,
disruption to electrical supply and power outages, contamination of water supplies and a potential
loss of communication systems.
Future sea level rise and changes in climate will affect the frequency and severity of coastal
inundation.
Looking out from Fitzroy to Little Barrier (Source: Auckland Council)
Aotea Road, Awana Valley November 2005 (Source: Auckland Council)
The steep, high cliffs along Great Barrier
Island’s coastline are well known for
erosion, landslide and rockfall.
Landslides on Great Barrier
Island after June 2014 storm
(Photo: Auckland Council)
This is due to the topography of the island, with
its steep hills and coastal cliffs, along with the soil
and land characteristics, and its exposure to all
weather elements. Whilst most of the landslides
on Great Barrier Island are triggered by rainfall,
some of the other underlying causes are building on
old landslides, unstable land, slope failure, joint or
fault failures within the underlying rock, and waves
undercutting cliffs causing significant erosion. On
11 June 2014, a period of damaging gales and
heavy rain moved across Great Barrier Island,
bringing down large trees and causing washouts
and landslides across the island.
The east coast of Great Barrier Island is at risk
of tsunami waves heights of 12+ metres
Low-lying coastal areas that might be at risk of a
tsunami on Great Barrier Island include the low
lying areas around Claris, Kaitoke Beach, Medlands
Beach, Awana Beach, Whangapoua Beach and Okiwi
and Tryphena, Whangaparapara, Okupu and Fitzroy
Harbours.
Evacuation maps for tsunami have been produced for
the Great Barrier Local Board area which identifies
coastal areas that need to be evacuated in the event of
a large earthquake or an official tsunami warning has
been issued. To find your local tsunami evacuation map
see: aucklandcivildefence.org.nz
Kaitoke Beach on the east
coast of Great Barrier Island
(Photo: Jay Farnworth)
For more information on the hazards within the Great Barrier Local Board, please see full
report at aucklandcouncil.govt.nz, search keywords “Know your Hazards”.