Huge Waiouru burn-off this month

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 8, Issue 373, 12 February 1991, Page 7

Huge Waiouru burn-off this month

More than 1200 hectares of pine trees will go up in flames in the name of conservation, and for the sake of Army tanks, sometime this month. A block of Pinus contorta on Waiouru Army Training Group land will be torched when the weather conditions are right and the Manawatu Wanganui Regional Council are advising people now to avoid concem when the smoke goes up. Timing will be important, said a coun-

cil spokesperson. Critical areas will be set alight during periods of high humidity so that maximum control can be maintained. Control of the fire will be critical and the Army will have 250 people on standby additional to the fifty people working constantly on the burn. Four fixed wing planes loaded with water will be held on the airstrip on standby and two helicopters will set the fires with another two constantly patrolling the area checking to see that the fires

are being contained. Sprinklers on the Zone's edge will also be stationed where ever they can be set up using nearby streams as a water source. In this instance some temporary dams have been constructed using butyl rubber liners to build up water supply. Fire crews will be stationed on critical points ready to act if necessary. "We don't expect anything to go wrong," said Don Clarke, Land Resource Officer for the Manawatu-W anganui Regional Council.

"However, all precautions have been set in place to ensure that

nothing gets out of hand" The Manawatu-Wan-ganui Regional Council is acting as agents for the Ministry of Defence who are clearing Zone 20. Pinus Contorta grows prolifically in the high country and has been classed a Class 'B' Noxious Weed and has to be removed, he said. The area is a training ground with 'live' ammunition lying '

throughout so normal hand felling methods are not possible, said Mr Clark. A regime of aerial spray ing and burning

has been seen as the only effective way of removing it. Spraying was completed last month and the burn off will clear the land.