ABs win seals champs
Firefighters tough it out
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Making a splash Peak to Pub winner Flavio Vianna staple dives into the icy water of Rangitata Diversion Race during Saturday’s multisport race. FULL STORY
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Forecasters rule out big burn BY ERIN TASKER
ERIN.T@THEGUARDIAN.CO.NZ
Rural firefighters can breathe a sigh of relief a predicted El Nino weather pattern has failed to eventuate. Mid Canterbury’s volunteer firefighters were bracing themselves for a busy summer with the El Nino forecast to deliver sizzling temperatures and strong winds to much of the
country, creating perfect fire conditions for rural fires. However, New Zealand’s Rural Fire Authority operations manager Gary Lockyer said latest scientific data indicated the situation had levelled off and the summer ahead was now likely to be more “neutral”. Earlier this year climatologists had warned the fire risk this summer could be as bad as
it was in 1992/93 and 1986/87. In the latter case, fires destroyed an area equivalent to 41,000ha, compared to an annual average of around 4000ha. While latest data showed this year’s situation had improved, Mr Lockyer said New Zealand had a marine climate which meant the situation could change quickly. “It’s still a bit early to tell and
when you look across the country there are varying district averages,” Mr Lockyer said. “When you look at things like river flow and rainfall, that kind of thing, but everyone is looking about average now.” Low temperatures and a lack of traditional hot, blustery norwest days in Mid Canterbury last made for an average season for firefighters.
Recent spring rainfalls across the district, have damped down the risk, and so far rural firefighters have been relatively quiet. “But hey, in a month’s time that could have changed,” Mr Lockyer said. “If we don’t get the average rainfall then we get the extraordinary wind events then things will dry out really quickly.”
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