A rabbit and a baby hawk had a lucky escape from a large scrub fire after they were saved from approaching flames by firefighters.
The animals were rescued as firefighters battled a 30ha vegetation fire between Burnham and Dunsandel on Thursday last week, likely caused by a truck tyre blowout on State Highway 1.
The baby hawk – not knowing what to do with itself as the fire approached its nest – was picked up by New Zealand Defence Force firefighters from Burnham.
The rabbit was collected by the Dunsandel Volunteer Fire Brigade when it ran in front of them.
Firefighter Al Sheppard was unsure where it came from.
“It just ran straight in front of us . . . we picked it up and gave it some water.”
Both animals were checked and released.
The fire destroyed a farm shed and chicken pen, but crews were able to halt it before it reached a nearby house, stopping just 20m short.
Philip Lattaney’s mother and stepfather live at the home where the shed was destroyed.
Lattaney told RNZ he left work and stood at the end of the driveway, watching as fire crews fought the fire.
“The cows got moved into one of the least damaged paddocks so they go out of the way, the pigs were fine as they live in a natural firebreak, being the stone and mud they live in, and then the chickens managed to find a little hole to hide away in,” he said.
The fire was the latest in a string of large vegetation fires across Canterbury, stretching resources.
While this week’s weather has brought cooler temperatures, giving firefighters a reprieve, it also may add fuel to the fire with rain potentially boosting vegetation growth.
Last week Canterbury entered a restricted fire season, meaning a permit is required to light an outdoor fire.
– Additional reporting RNZ
