Take care in tinder dry conditions
By Chrys Ayley
As Victoria reels from the appalling toll of devastating bush fires, and New Zealanders count their blessings, Wellington Fire Service personnel are cautioning people to be careful with fire during dry conditions. New Zealand Fire Service corporate communications manager Scott Sargentina warns that although we have had some rain recently conditions in the Wellington area are tinder dry. ?Take care with cigarette butts and barbecue ashes and any outdoor activity that can generate sparks.? Barbecue ashes should be put in a metal, not plastic, bucket and covered with water, he said. People do not realise that ashes can take up to five days to cool down. During burn off?s in rural situations in tinder dry conditions it does not take much for a fire to get out of control. Fires in rural situations are costly for fire fighters and for those who start vegetation fires as they are responsible for the cost of putting it out Mr Sargentina said. Seaview station officer Dave Wright said so far this year things had been reasonably quiet but as summer comes to an end and vegetation dries out it becomes more of a fire hazard. Officers from the Parkside Road station had delivered fire safety brochures to all homes backing onto rural land including Horokiwi, Whaiwhetu, Eastbourne and Days Bay. Station Officer Wright offers these tips to stay safe this summer: *Make sure your house number is clearly visible from the street. *Clear sections and leave a decent sized space all around the house. *keep a garden hose connected to the tap and make sure it is long enough to stretch around the house. *Keep your driveway clear so that a fire appliance can gain quick access. *Home owners on rural water supply should make sure the water is accessible. *Store flammables such as firewood away from the house. *Make sure ash is contained. *Keep grass cut so it does not grow and get dry. *Install smoke alarms.
