18 Feb 2017

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Christchurch Mayor Lianne Dalziel said it was heart-warming to see the firefighters and others on the frontlines receive a standing ovation at a public meeting today.

Firefighter at work in Victoria Park

About 400 people affected by the Port Hills fire attended a public meeting with Civil Defence officials in Christchurch this morning.

“People were keen to show their absolute respect for the dedication and commitment of those working to control the fire,’’ she said.

“However, that didn’t deflect from the significant concerns people have had about the flow of information that would help people understand the reasons their property was inside the cordon and they had been evacuated from their homes.’’

Ms Dalziel said there was a significant number of people who could not understand why other properties had had their cordons lifted but theirs had not.

“It was agreed at the meeting that Civil Defence would supply cordon-specific information, including why the cordon was still there and what the safety concerns were, as well as information about supported temporary access to areas where cordons will be in place for some time.’’

Civil Defence also gave a commitment to provide hourly updates by email or text messages to people who had registered their details with Civil Defence, and online at ccc.govt.nz.

“It was made very clear to us that people wanted a single source of trustworthy information,’’ Ms Dalziel said.

Civil Defence controller John Mackie said the meeting was a valuable opportunity for emergency services to hear first-hand the concerns of residents forced from their homes by the fire.

“We understand that people are extremely anxious to return to their homes,’’ Mr Mackie said. “Safety is our number one concern and we are doing everything we possibly can to get people back to their properties.’’

Several cordons have been lifted, but cordons remain in place in Worsleys Road, Kennedys Bush Road, Dyers Pass Road, and at the top of Huntsbury Avenue. Some further cordon reductions are expected this afternoon.

“We know the cordons are a source of frustration, and we thank people for their patience,’’ Mr Mackie said.

Rain falling in the fire zone today is a welcome relief, but also poses some difficulties for firefighting operations from the air and on land. Visibility was significantly reduced and the rain increased instability in some hill areas, and made conditions uncomfortable for firefighters.

Chief Rural Fire Officer for Selwyn, Douglas Marshall, said the rain, coupled with north easterly wind conditions made for good firefighting conditions. Property protection remained the priority today.

Mr Marshall said there were still concerns about the area around Victoria Park and east of Dyers Pass Road and the Marleys Hill area, where there was vital electronic equipment to protect.

The southern flank of the fire was still causing concern, he said. Heavy machinery was being used to establish containment lines.

“This is difficult and dangerous work in steep and uneven terrain,’’ Mr Marshall said.

Geotechnical experts are also working in the hills, assessing the risk of rock-fall in areas where there has been significant loss of vegetation.