No decision on Mt Alpha fire costs

The fire broke out on January 3 and burnt 200ha of steep hill pasture belonging to Hillend high country sheep station. No houses or stock were lost. Photo: ODT files

Fire and Emergency New Zealand says it has still not made a decision about whether to recover costs for fighting the Wanaka Mt Alpha fire early last month or prosecute the owners of the Mt Aspiring Rd property where it started.

The fire broke out on January 3 and burnt 200ha of steep hill pasture belonging to Hillend high country sheep station, but no houses or stock were lost.

Urban and rural fire crews from around Otago, Central Lakes, Southland and Mt Cook, together with helicopters carrying monsoon buckets fought the blaze over several days.

A fire investigation revealed the fire was inadvertently started by a Mt Aspiring Rd resident when he discarded ashes from an outdoor fire place near his property boundary with Hillend station.

FENZ senior media adviser Adriana Weber said ''what happens next in terms of prosecution and cost recovery is something that is still being worked through.''

''The [fire investigation] report won't be made public until that decision has been made,'' she said.

Ms Weber confirmed the cost of fighting the fire was about $500,000.

In the past, rural and local fire fighting authorities sought costs directly from those found to be responsible for starting the fire.

Since July 1, when FENZ was formed, the costs of fighting a fire are now recovered through the courts or legal avenues.

kerrie.waterworth@odt.co.nz