Central communities wanting education around how to keep themselves safe from wildfire are encouraged to reach out to Fire and Emergency New Zealand (Fenz).

Fenz has welcomed the move following a community meeting in Naseby last weekend, designed to educate residents on how to keep themselves and their properties safe from wildfire.

The meeting was attended by about 100 people, who flocked to the Naseby Town Hall to hear from Fenz representatives, including advisor risk reduction - Otago District Mark Mawhinney, who features in this week's The Outlet podcast.

During the meeting, Mark talked about the importance of defensible space, a term used to describe the careful selection, location and maintenance of vegetation and other combustible materials on the property.

Following the meeting, Mark welcomed other communities who wanted to host something similar on the subject of wildfire, to reach out, particularly those that were at a heightened risk.

“It’s raising awareness for people to be a bit more fire aware.”

The Naseby community was one of about 15 that Fenz has worked with across the wider Otago area, including Mt Iron and Queensbury in Wānaka and the Queenstown red zone, which covers Glenorchy to Arthurs Point.

He said each of those areas were identified as being at risk of wildfire, but the work done in each of those communities varied.

“It’s entirely reliant on communities self-driving.” 

Fenz also encourages people to check their smoke alarms while changing their clocks this weekend, which marks the end of daylight saving.

Daylight saving ends at 2am on Sunday, April 7, when clocks go back one hour.

To hear more about the work Fenz does around wildfire education listen to this week’s The Outlet podcast.

Read more: Naseby community answers the call