Trio to be honoured for heroism

The selfless acts of three people who saved lives in the 2020 Lake Ohau wildfire are to be recognised by the Royal Humane Society.

Omarama’s senior constable of 10 years, Nayland Smith, and two local men, Mark Paulson and Craig Ovenden — who performed multiple acts of bravery in what turned to be the most significant wildfire this country has ever seen — will be awarded bronze medals this November.

Among the many others who helped at the time, Snr Const Smith, Mr Paulson and Mr Ovenden are being especially commended for their "timely and courageous" actions on October 4, 2020.

It began early on October 4 when a large and destructive wildfire spread quickly towards Lake Ohau Village driven by gale-force winds.

As Omarama Volunteer Fire Brigade station officer and firefighter of 50 years Maurice Cowie recalled, the conditions that morning were far more extreme than anyone might have imagined.

"The TV didn’t really show much compared to what it was", he said yesterday.

"When we arrived we realised we only had minutes to clear [the village] and we were out of there probably within 15 minutes of arriving", Mr Cowie said.

By that stage the three men to be honoured had already performed multiple life-saving actions.

With literally only a few minutes left, and with not all residents able to hear the warning sirens, those living on the outskirts of Lake Ohau Village were particularly in danger, Mr Cowie said.

"Through the actions of Craig right at the start, it gave the opportunity for at least three families to get out.

"They basically had no warning from the likes of the siren and people in the village being evacuated."

Omarama’s sole charge policeman, Snr Const Smith, on his day off, had immediately responded to the Omarama fire siren and headed to Lake Ohau in the early hours.

When he arrived, he was told by firefighters they were having to pull back as the fire approached.

A longtime Lake Ohau resident, Mr Ovenden had by then driven towards the flames, rousing residents in any way he could to alert the occupants of multiple lifestyle blocks down long driveways.

In the thick smoke, he traced one unaccounted-for elderly resident, escorting him to safety amidst disorienting smoke and flames.

They just made it out of the village now overrun by fire.

Meanwhile, Mr Paulson was using his previous rural fire experience to reassure residents and then assist Snr Const Smith to clear the surrounding rural properties. In the course of their actions they were often driving with the fire raging on both sides of the road and with limited visibility.

While 49 of the remote village’s 100 residences were eventually lost, all its occupants got out with their lives.

Mr Cowie said the scale of the fire was unprecedented in New Zealand — of the likes of the huge wildfires seen in Australia and North America.

"That fire was the classed as the biggest of its type in the country, in its history."

brendon.mcmahon@odt.co.nz