Fewer forest firemen

Press, 7 October 1987, Page 6

Fewer forest firemen

PA Hamilton Forest Service restructuring has led to a shortage of fire-fighters, according to a Conservation Department official.

A Kaimai Mamaku State Forest park ranger in the department Mr Warren Geraghty, said that during the restructuring and corporatisation of the Forest Service the services of many highly trained fire-fighting staff were lost and more losses were expected. “With forest fires it is the manpower that counts,” Mr Geraghty said. “We cannot rely on helicopters because

weather conditions often mean they cannot fly.

“We need men on the ground and with restructuring the pressure has been put on those who survived the job-pruning.” He said 40 men from the Forest Service had been available for fire-fighting but now only eight from the new Conservation Department were available in the Kaimai-Mamaku area.

Every staff member would be trained in fighting forest fires and recent intensive training sessions were being followed by monthly courses, he said. Local authorities would be

required more than ever to provide extra manpower. The department would consider forming a volunteer fighting group. The public would also be asked to keep a careful watch on the forest and follow up any reports of fires to make sure action was taken. The department planned to keep undergrowth on tracks to a minimum to lessen the risk of fire in areas used by trampers and hunters. “We need to educate the public more,” he said. “They must be en-

couraged to light fires only where allowed and taught that a flicked match does not always go out” The Kaimai-Mamaku forest park had a good record with only one big fire about four years ago in the Waiorongomai Valley. “But with strong westerly winds being predicted, to Mow throughout this summer we can expect a very high fire risk in the park.” He expected many areas of the park to be closed to the public if the fire danger became too high this summer.