DOC's work to fight and prevent Northland wildfires
Wildfires can risk lives, destroy property and devastate natural areas. Fire poses a serious risk to public conservation land - land that belongs to all New Zealanders - and its natural, cultural, historic and recreation values.
Fighting wildfires
If a wildfire happens, putting it out takes priority over all other work for DOC.
Fighting wildfires is dangerous, dirty work. Scion is researching its effects on rural firefighters. Read more about what it's like to be a rural firefighter in the Rural Fire Research Update No. 7 on the Scion website
A Northland fire fighter exits a helicopter
during a training exercise
Information, eduction and community support
In Northland, concern is growing over the number of wildfires, the damage they cause and the money and time they consume.
While staff are involved in ongoing training in fighting fires, increasing effort is going into preventing them. This is happening by raising awareness of fire consequences through providing information, education and community support.
DOC and other rural fire fighting organisations are working together with Northland communities to help reduce wildfires.
Resources and information for schools and communities are available free for everyone to use.
A wildfires educator is working with DOC and the NZ Fire Service around Northland schools. If you'd like to know more, contact Northland@doc.govt.nz putting 'wildfires information' in the subject heading.
DOC Northland is finding out more about people and their involvement in wildfires through social research. Scion also undertakes larger social science research projects.
You can read summaries of these studies in Transfer Notes numbers 35-38 on the Scion website.
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