1 00:00:00,520 --> 00:00:03,440 Speaker 1: Ever, Duple syl Hi that enormous fire and tilmeted On 2 00:00:03,560 --> 00:00:06,280 Speaker 1: National Park is still burning, but fire Cruiser upbeat about 3 00:00:06,280 --> 00:00:08,559 Speaker 1: the progress that they've made. Evacuated residents of fuck A 4 00:00:08,600 --> 00:00:11,480 Speaker 1: Puppa Village have been allowed to return, and dox Damien 5 00:00:11,560 --> 00:00:14,280 Speaker 1: Coots says that the worst damage to the tourism infrastructure 6 00:00:14,280 --> 00:00:15,000 Speaker 1: has been avoided. 7 00:00:15,200 --> 00:00:19,720 Speaker 2: Yesterday we lost twenty eight hundred hectares approximately of tolleted 8 00:00:19,760 --> 00:00:22,840 Speaker 2: on National Park. We're in an incredibly fortunate position from 9 00:00:22,880 --> 00:00:25,720 Speaker 2: a recreation point of view to have saved many of 10 00:00:25,760 --> 00:00:28,400 Speaker 2: others or assets, but the impact on by diversity is 11 00:00:28,440 --> 00:00:29,320 Speaker 2: going to be significant. 12 00:00:29,760 --> 00:00:32,320 Speaker 1: To appear who District mayor Western curtains with US High. 13 00:00:32,200 --> 00:00:34,920 Speaker 3: Western, Yes, sir, good afternoon, Heather, Thank you for the 14 00:00:34,920 --> 00:00:36,159 Speaker 3: opportunity to come on program. 15 00:00:36,280 --> 00:00:37,839 Speaker 1: Does it seem to you like the rains put the 16 00:00:37,840 --> 00:00:38,360 Speaker 1: fire out? 17 00:00:39,440 --> 00:00:42,760 Speaker 3: Well, it's basically helped, Heather. We had issues with the 18 00:00:42,800 --> 00:00:46,080 Speaker 3: wind and the heat yesterday, which of course was that's 19 00:00:46,120 --> 00:00:50,559 Speaker 3: pinnacle with the fire, but have rain and dampening things overnight, 20 00:00:50,640 --> 00:00:53,479 Speaker 3: particularly made it easier for the crew to get on 21 00:00:53,520 --> 00:00:55,640 Speaker 3: the ground and actually try and deal with it permanently. 22 00:00:56,600 --> 00:00:58,200 Speaker 1: Still some hot spots and stuff. 23 00:00:57,880 --> 00:01:00,640 Speaker 3: Oh, absolutely, it will be going on. Of course of 24 00:01:00,680 --> 00:01:02,680 Speaker 3: the next week. We'll have people on the ground. They'll 25 00:01:02,720 --> 00:01:05,760 Speaker 3: be putting drones up during the night, for example, to 26 00:01:05,880 --> 00:01:08,920 Speaker 3: see what's out there and actually deal with it during 27 00:01:08,959 --> 00:01:09,240 Speaker 3: the day. 28 00:01:09,720 --> 00:01:11,399 Speaker 1: Any idea how it started. 29 00:01:11,959 --> 00:01:15,880 Speaker 3: No, that's something under investigation, Heather, all sorts of speculation. 30 00:01:16,160 --> 00:01:18,520 Speaker 3: I've got to say that it's probably in the vicinity 31 00:01:18,560 --> 00:01:21,440 Speaker 3: of a highway, which is a state highway forty seven, 32 00:01:21,600 --> 00:01:24,800 Speaker 3: and it's likely that's some interference there that's caused it. 33 00:01:24,880 --> 00:01:27,520 Speaker 3: That I can only speculate, and I guess it's allowed 34 00:01:27,600 --> 00:01:29,400 Speaker 3: the police to carry out the investigation. 35 00:01:29,680 --> 00:01:31,440 Speaker 1: Did you see that the EWE has placed it on 36 00:01:31,560 --> 00:01:33,440 Speaker 1: hue over the area for ten years. 37 00:01:34,200 --> 00:01:37,120 Speaker 3: Well, it's part of it. We're talking about two parts 38 00:01:37,160 --> 00:01:42,000 Speaker 3: to it together. One is the rah WHOI are regarding 39 00:01:42,040 --> 00:01:46,040 Speaker 3: the track itself. So we've got seven days there and 40 00:01:46,080 --> 00:01:48,960 Speaker 3: that would be revisited in seven days to see whether 41 00:01:49,040 --> 00:01:51,080 Speaker 3: or not you know, it's practical to go over the 42 00:01:51,600 --> 00:01:55,120 Speaker 3: Tongario crossing and that could be lifted. But the ten 43 00:01:55,200 --> 00:01:59,920 Speaker 3: year one is around the restoration. What they basically say, 44 00:02:00,200 --> 00:02:03,120 Speaker 3: EWE is that they need to restore it responsibility, which 45 00:02:03,160 --> 00:02:05,920 Speaker 3: of course goes hand in hand with what everyone else 46 00:02:05,920 --> 00:02:08,480 Speaker 3: in New zealyone wants is to ensure that it just 47 00:02:08,520 --> 00:02:10,960 Speaker 3: doesn't go to weeds and to ushare up. 48 00:02:10,960 --> 00:02:12,760 Speaker 1: Okay, so what is it actually going to stop. Who's 49 00:02:12,800 --> 00:02:14,920 Speaker 1: going to be stopped from going into what areas for 50 00:02:14,919 --> 00:02:15,920 Speaker 1: the next ten years? 51 00:02:16,280 --> 00:02:19,040 Speaker 3: Well, I think to appreciate that the areas that was 52 00:02:19,560 --> 00:02:23,080 Speaker 3: burnt doesn't have very much in the way of public 53 00:02:23,120 --> 00:02:25,880 Speaker 3: access at all. What we're talking about is organized tracks 54 00:02:25,919 --> 00:02:28,560 Speaker 3: which will be open to the public as soon as 55 00:02:28,600 --> 00:02:31,400 Speaker 3: we get to seven days lifted and cause it's safe 56 00:02:31,440 --> 00:02:34,040 Speaker 3: to do so. So we're not as though that you know, 57 00:02:34,080 --> 00:02:37,320 Speaker 3: you can go there and park up and actually stay there. 58 00:02:37,400 --> 00:02:40,760 Speaker 3: It's just not practical in that location. So we've got 59 00:02:40,760 --> 00:02:43,720 Speaker 3: to be fair to say that there's hundreds and hundreds 60 00:02:43,720 --> 00:02:47,120 Speaker 3: of hectares that need to be restored and we've got 61 00:02:47,160 --> 00:02:48,079 Speaker 3: to give it space. 62 00:02:47,800 --> 00:02:49,960 Speaker 1: To do that. Westin thanks very much for your time, 63 00:02:50,000 --> 00:02:52,280 Speaker 1: as always, Western Curtain, the Ruapeho District. 64 00:02:51,919 --> 00:02:55,120 Speaker 3: Mayor for more from Hither Duplessy Allen Drive. 65 00:02:55,280 --> 00:02:58,679 Speaker 1: Listen live to news talks they'd be from four pm weekdays, 66 00:02:58,800 --> 00:03:01,000 Speaker 1: or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.