On 13 February 2017, a fire in Canterbury’s Port Hills burnt through 1600 hectares of land, claimed nine homes and damaged five others.
A helicopter pilot lost his life. It was 66 days before the fires were fully extinguished.
Almost seven years to the day, Port Hills residents were again threatened by fire but, mindful of 2017, emergency services sprang into action.
A state of local emergency declared for Christchurch City Council and Selwyn District Council on 14 February was lifted at 1pm on 21 February as the Port Hills fire response moved into a transition period to support the community in recovery.
Sergeant Vaughan Kyne was Forward Commander on the day the blaze broke out, managing road closures and overseeing evacuations.
“I was up there seven years ago when the big one occurred and those memories are still vivid,” says Vaughan.
“I was very aware of the concerns held by residents in that area. One of the families evacuated had only moved into their rebuilt home a few weeks ago.
“People were understandably anxious but we were quick to get into some of the more vulnerable areas to provide reassurance and give them a heads-up about wind changes and being prepared to leave.
“There was a very small number who were adamant they wanted to stay but we managed to negotiate with them, and they complied with instructions.
“It was a tricky balance of showing empathy but also conveying the urgency required as well.”
Cherished pets also caused plenty of concern but, where they could, staff escorted residents into homes to retrieve their pets or open gates to allow livestock to move into safer areas.
“We helped one fellow who was due to fly out to a master’s cricket tournament in Australia that afternoon. We arranged for him to get his cricket gear and passport. As far as I know, he got away on time.
“Given what these people went through seven years ago, it was the least we could do.”
Plumes of smoke could be seen from the roof of Te Omeka, Canterbury District Police Headquarters.
The fire’s proximity to the city and its location in the city’s walking and biking playground meant there was a lot of public interest.
People gathered in large numbers and there were concerns they could hinder a wider evacuation and obstruct heavy duty fire-fighting machinery.
“Police staff on the ground did an excellent job dealing with these people who, at times, were testing our patience,” says Vaughan.
“There was a tremendous amount of information coming at me that needed to be filtered and dealt with accordingly.
Police staff were kept busy at the cordon on Worsleys Road, near the entrance to the Christchurch Adventure Park.
Looking after his staff was one of Vaughan's main priorities.
“It was a very warm day with winds from the north and northwest. Hydration was an issue, as well as sun exposure.
“Overall, I was very proud of the initial Police response. Everybody acted with great professionalism and worked some long hard hours; I was stoked with how they performed.”
Incident Controller Inspector Ash Tabb agrees and says quick work by all the agencies involved minimised the damage to homes and property.
“Fires are fast-moving events," he says. "There was the added complication of other fires breaking out in the district as well. FENZ were deploying all the resources they could, and our staff supported the response with cordons, evacuations and reassurance.
“I’m grateful to all the staff who helped out. There were some last-minute requests and some long hours in challenging conditions, but when things like this happen, I’m always inspired by the way our Police team responds.
“We got lots of positive feedback from the community, the affected residents, and from our partner agencies.
“As a district, we do this stuff really well and our team is always willing to step in wherever they’re needed.”
The cause of the Port Hills fire is still under investigation.