Fire and Emergency New Zealand footed the bill for the October 23 fire — risk reduction adviser Mark Mawhinney says they’re continuing to monitor a couple of hotspots.
While the fire’s still under investigation, Mawhinney says it was caused by a burn-off that got out of control.
It jumped into the Coronet Forest, where it spread to 14 hectares before it was contained.
A Queenstown council spokesman says the fire hasn’t disrupted its Project Tohu Coronet Forest regeneration programme, the first part of which will be fencing, which is yet to happen.
Mawhinney estimates about $60,000 was spent on "the aerial attack" — four helicopters with monsoon buckets, refilled at nearby Millbrook Resort, doused the blaze from the air — while about $20,000 was attributed to heavy machinery needed on site, with the balance for other firefighting costs.
Due to a legislation change several years ago, Fenz can no longer recover costs of fighting such fires, but can consider prosecution.
"The investigation into the incident is still being completed ... a decision has not yet been made on whether legal action will be taken," Mawhinney says.
Meantime, he says records show nearly half of all vegetation fires which have occurred in New Zealand this year were caused by burn-offs.
"These are preventable fires, so we ask people to be extremely careful wherever they are lighting a fire.
"If the fire danger level is very high or extreme, or it’s a windy day, consider doing it another time."
He says people should visit checkitsalright.nz to see if they need a fire permit, and what forms they need to comply.
Mawhinney advises people shouldn’t start burn-offs near rubbish pits, slash, standing trees or buildings, and they should ensure there’s enough water or other resources to contain it and extinguish it, while burn piles must be completely extinguished before being left alone, and checked again the next day.
