Pigeon Valley Fire

The Pigeon Valley Fire was a wildfire in the Tasman District and briefly the largest wildfire in New Zealand history before being surpassed by the Lake Ōhau Fire a year later.

Pigeon Valley Fire
Map showing the location of Pigeon Valley in red, nearby Wakefield
Date(s)	5 February 2019 – 6 March 2019
Location	Tasman District, New Zealand
Coordinates	41°22′S 173°00′E / 41.37°S 173.00°E / -41.37; 173.00
Statistics
Burned area	2,400 ha (18 February)^[1]
Impacts
Structures destroyed	One home
Ignition
Cause	Machinery spark ^[2]

The fire began on the afternoon of 5 February following a spark caused by farming equipment. Very dry drought conditions saw it grow rapidly and it soon began threatening the town of Wakefield forcing a major evacuation of its three thousand residents .^[3]

It was declared to be under control on 6 March and by 8 July had been deemed to be "well and truly under control" but was thought to be likely still be smoldering in places after having been left to burn itself out.^[4]

History

On 6 February 2019, a state of emergency was declared in the Tasman region due to the fire in Pigeon Valley.^[5]

By 9 February 2019, the Pigeon Valley fire was being described as the country's largest since 1955. Also, with 22 helicopters involved, it is New Zealand's largest aerial firefight on record.^[6] The fire caused 3,000 people from Wakefield and hundreds from surrounding areas to evacuate their homes and destroyed one house.^[7][8]

On 17 February 2019, a helicopter crashed while fighting the fire in Tasman district, injuring the pilot.^[9]

The state of emergency declared on 6 February was extended for another seven days on 19 February.^[10]

The final group of about 230 residents evacuated from the Pigeon Valley fire near Wakefield were permitted to return to their homes on 21 February. The fire was not completely out and their return was on the understanding that they might be required to leave again at short notice.^[11]

With the state of emergency lifted, work was continuing on 28 February to put out the fire completely, which it was feared might take weeks or months with conditions "bone dry".^[12]

On 6 March 2019, Nelson Tasman Emergency Management Group posted a notification that the Pigeon Valley fire was "controlled" and residents were no longer required to be ready to evacuate. The emergency management group defined a controlled fire as "one that is extinguished around the perimeter and is not moving...[with] a 100 metre cold zone."^[13]

Evacuation

The disaster forced almost 3,000 people to evacuate from areas at risk. The evacuation investigation carried out by a team from Massey University, the University of Canterbury, and NIST funded by FENZ shows that 96% of the householders complied with the evacuation order. The householders, who decided to stay, did it protect their property, do their job, take care of pets/livestock, or they did not believe their properties were at risk.^[14]

Inquiry

A report by the Australasian Fire and Emergency Services Authorities Council, released on 30 October 2019, recommended a nationally consistent framework for tactical fire planning, and a list of 12 recommendations.^[15]

Animal welfare response

On 6 February, HUHA founder Carolyn Press-McKenzie arrived in Nelson to set up an animal welfare shelter at the Richmond Showgrounds.^[16] By 8 February the temporary animal shelter was able to hold 956 animals,^[17] providing for companion animals, stock^[18][19][20] and injured wildlife amid growing public concern over animals trapped behind fire cordons^[21][22][23]

Huha was joined by groups of volunteers, veterinarians and specialist organisations under the Ministry of Primary Industries (MPI) at the shelter, including SPCA's VERT team,^[24] the national rescue team (NRT),^[25] Federated Farmers,^[26] Animal Evac NZ^[27] and others. MPI, as the lead agency for animal welfare in disasters in New Zealand, also provided a team of vets and animal officers who carried out animal welfare checks.^[28]

A 16 person animal disaster response team were deployed by non-profit organisation, Animal Evac New Zealand^[29] on 9 February 2019^[30] to the Richmond showground. The team included vet nurses, animal management officers and former SPCA inspectors as well as animal disaster and rescue experts and assisted MPI in recording the location of at risk companion animals and supporting owners at the Saxton welfare centre. Limited initial farm rescues were also carried out at the request of local farmers and with permission of MPI and the New Zealand Police^[31][32]

Animal casualties included 40 plus sheep which were euthanised after being unable to escape from a fenced enclosure during the fire and badly burnt^[33][34]

Volunteer organisations received widespread praise for their response from government agencies involved and the local residents.^[35][36]

See also

• 2019 in New Zealand
• List of fires

References

1. "Tasman fire: Government announces more aid for clean-up". RadioNZ – radionz.co.nz. 18 February 2019. Retrieved 24 February 2019.
2. "Pigeon Valley fire cause confirmed as sparks from disc plough". 13 August 2019.
3. "Tasman fires: Nelson, Wakefield evacuated; Pigeon Valley residents must leave homes as fears wind may fan blaze". The New Zealand Herald. 8 February 2019. Retrieved 9 February 2019.
4. "Pigeon Valley fire well and truly under control, but likely still smoldering in spots". Stuff.co.nz. 8 July 2019. Retrieved 9 July 2019.
5. "Pigeon Valley Fire Update 4 – State of emergency declared". Tasman District Council. 6 February 2019. Retrieved 24 February 2019.
6. "Nelson bush fire live updates: Region in biggest air firefight on record". The New Zealand Herald. 9 February 2019. Retrieved 9 February 2019.
7. Alison Bevege (9 February 2019), New Zealand wildfires show no sign of easing, 3,000 flee, Reuters
8. 3,000 evacuated from New Zealand fire could soon return home, Associated Press, 11 February 2019 – via KDWN
9. "Nelson bush fire: Helicopter crashes fighting fires in Tasman district". Stuff.co.nz. 17 February 2019. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
10. "State of emergency in the Tasman region extended for another week". RadioNZ – radionz.co.nz. 19 February 2019. Retrieved 24 February 2019.
11. "Last Nelson wildfire evacuees allowed to return to their homes". Stuff.co.nz. 21 February 2019. Retrieved 21 February 2019.
12. "Tasman transitions to recovery after Pigeon Valley fire". Tasman District Council. 28 February 2019. Retrieved 7 March 2019.
13. "Pigeon Valley fire controlled, notice to evacuate lifted". Nelson Tasman Emergency Management Group. 6 March 2019. Retrieved 7 March 2019.
14. Lovreglio; Nilson; Kuligowski; et al. (2021). FENZ Report 183: The Pigeon Valley Fire: A questionnaire study about the evacuation process (PDF). Fire and Emergency New Zealand.
15. "Tasman forest fire review proposes recommendations to Fire and Emergency". Radio New Zealand. 30 October 2019. Retrieved 30 October 2019.
16. "Nelson bush fire: Richmond's land-based ark caring for evacuated animals". Stuff. 9 February 2019. Retrieved 18 January 2020.
17. "The Nelson Fires – HUHA's Emergency Shelter". Retrieved 18 January 2020.
18. "Nelson bush fire: Animals evacuated as blaze takes hold". Stuff. 6 February 2019. Retrieved 18 January 2020.
19. "Nelson fire: 700 displaced Tasman animals on way home too". RNZ. 13 February 2019. Retrieved 18 January 2020.
20. Bayer, Kurt (11 February 2019). "Nelson bush fire evacuees camp out with their sheep". The New Zealand Herald. ISSN 1170-0777. Retrieved 18 January 2020.
21. "Tasman fire: Worry grows over fate of pets and livestock". Newshub. Retrieved 18 January 2020.
22. "Nelson bush fire: Frustration at not being able to help animals". Stuff. 9 February 2019. Retrieved 18 January 2020.
23. "Nelson fire: Police urge residents to respect cordon". Otago Daily Times Online News. 10 February 2019. Retrieved 18 January 2020.
24. "Nelson bush fire: Goat with personality rescued from evacuation zone". Stuff. 10 February 2019. Retrieved 18 January 2020.
25. "Nelson bush fire: More than 40 sheep 'put out of their suffering'". Stuff. 7 February 2019. Retrieved 18 January 2020.
26. . www.fedfarm.org.nz. Archived from the original on 13 September 2020. Retrieved 18 January 2020.
27. "Nelson bush fire: Richmond's land-based ark caring for evacuated animals". Stuff. 9 February 2019. Retrieved 18 January 2020.
28. Dunlop, Ryan (7 February 2019). "Nelson fire: SPCA and MPI brave evacuated zone for animal welfare checks". The New Zealand Herald. ISSN 1170-0777. Retrieved 18 January 2020.
29. "New Kiwi charity to ensure no animals left behind in natural disasters". Newshub. Retrieved 18 January 2020.
30. "Animal rescue teams deployed to Nelson to help with fire relief". TVNZ. Retrieved 18 January 2020.
31. "Tasman fires: MPI and SPCA animal welfare update". www.mpi.govt.nz. Ministry for Primary Industries. Retrieved 18 January 2020.
32. "animal evac after report" (PDF). (PDF) from the original on 31 January 2020.
33. "Nelson bush fire: More than 40 sheep 'put out of their suffering'". Stuff. 7 February 2019. Retrieved 18 January 2020.
34. Bayer, Kurt (7 February 2019). "Nelson bush fire: Horror as farmer puts down 60 burned sheep". The New Zealand Herald. ISSN 1170-0777. Retrieved 18 January 2020.
35. "Tasman fires: MPI and SPCA animal welfare update". www.mpi.govt.nz. Ministry for Primary Industries. Retrieved 18 January 2020.
36. "Tasman fires: MPI and SPCA animal welfare update". www.scoop.co.nz. 10 February 2019. Retrieved 18 January 2020.

External links

• Satellite imagery of the fire (Duncan Steel)