Last week, Judge Russell Walker sentenced Brendon Hunter and Thomas Fulton for their role in the fire.
Fire and Emergency New Zealand deputy national commander Steph Rotarangi said Fenz decided to prosecute Hunter and Fulton after they fronted up to the police three days after the fire was started.
Knowingly or recklessly lighting a fire in the open air during a total fire ban is an offence under the Fire and Emergency New Zealand Act 2017.
"It is also dangerous and reckless and it puts our people, the public, property and the environment at risk," Ms Rotarangi said.
"While our decision to prosecute does not change the impact of the Awarua fire, the significant scale and consequences of this fire, and the fact the area was under a total fire ban, were important public interest considerations."
In the summary of facts, Hunter claimed they had come across a smelly pile of rotting meat in plastic bags and admitted to setting them alight to attempt to get rid of the smell, but the fire quickly got out of hand, causing 4m-5m flames.
After unsuccessfully trying to put out the fire, the defendants were seen fleeing the scene in their vehicle but were stopped by witnesses at the Awarua Bay Rd bridge.
Judge Walker said their excuse was "reckless at best, given the circumstances".
The judge sentenced Hunter to six months’ home detention and added another month for outstanding fines.
For watching the ignition and failing to report the fire, Fulton was sentenced to 200 hours’ community work and 12 months’ supervision.
Both men were ordered to pay $500 towards Fenz and $10,000 reparation - which was to be split between a beekeeper who lost $4000 worth of beehives and Doc.
Judge Walker said the reparation ordered was a "nominal amount" because the total cost of the devastation was far beyond the means of both men.
Doc firefighting costs amounted to $102,790 while it cost Fenz $1,559,266 to extinguish the blaze after multiple ground crews from Otago and Southland, assisted by nine helicopters, took more than a week to control the blaze.
Fenz eventually signed off the site 27 days after the fire started.
Doc senior biodiversity ranger Ros Cole said the region was still recovering and battling against invasive Spanish heath and gorse.
Dead manuka destroyed during the 1330ha fire was making it difficult for staff to move around.
"Some native vegetation such as mānuka is recovering but also lots of weeds are growing ...
"The gorse will eventually die off once native vegetation grows above it and shades it out; however, this will take time and relies on there being no further fires."
A section of damaged boundary fence has yet to be fully replaced, but Doc was hopeful it would be finished this summer.
All 20 of the pest traps lost to the inferno had been replaced.
"These impacts highlight why it’s really important that people are responsible about fire while in wetlands.
"Though lots of people think wetlands aren’t flammable, fires like the one in Awarua show the vegetation there is vulnerable to fire, and when blazes start it can have serious consequences for the ecosystem."
A landcare research report estimated 104,693 tonnes of carbon dioxide was released during the incident.
Using the August 2024 Emissions Trading Scheme price of $53 per tonne of carbon dioxide, it amounted to $5.5 million had the carbon emissions been paid for.
- By Toni McDonald
