FIRE BOUNDARIES

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 10, Issue 77, 24 January 1947, Page 5

FIRE BOUNDARIES

ROTORUA AND WHAKATANE ALTERATIONS NOTIFIED A gazette published on January 16 gives details of certain alterations to the boundaries of the KaingaroaRotorua Fire District; of the Whakarewarewa and Whakatane Fire Districts, also details of the boundaries of the newly-created Oraka Fire District which will be administered by New Zealand Forest Products, and covers that company’s Pinedale forest. The effect of these alterations in boundaries is that practically the whole of the Rotorua County and substantial portions of the Whakatane, Tauranga, Matamata and Taupo Counties now lie within fire districts.

In a general way, the boundary of the enclosed area follows the Tauranga-Rotofua road from a point rear Maketu to Lake Rotorua, thence from Ngongotaha along the railway to Putaruru and the main road to Arapuni. From the head of Arapuni lake, the boundary runs across country to Whangamata Bay on the northern shore of Lake Taupo. The southern boundary of the fire district leaves Lake Taupo near the Hinemaimai stream and then generally speaking, follows the Wheao and Rangitaiki rivers out to the coast. During the period from October 1 in one year to April 15 in the following year, it is not lawful for any person within a fire district, save by written permission of a forest officer, to set a fire, or cause to be set on fire, any timber, whether standing or not, any undergrowth, any debris from forest or land clearing operations, or any - grass or other pecially inflammable material, without taking such precautions as may be prescribed by a forest officer. Substantial penalties are provided for under the Forests Act and the Forest Fire Prevention Regulations. It is also incumbent on any person discovering a fire burning unattended in a fire district to do everything reasonably within his power to extinguish it, and to notify the nearest forest officer.

Any person who becomes aware of a fire has simply to ring a telephone exchange, and the attendant will advise the appropriate forest authority for the district.