National Headquarters
Level 12
80 The Terrace
PO Box 2133
Wellington
New Zealand
Phone +64 4 496 3600
26 August 2020
Alan Thompson
By email: [FYI request #13328 email]
Dear Alan
Information Request –
Old Dunstan Road Fire 9th Nov 2019 I refer to your official information request dated 16 July 2020 asking for a copy of the Operational
Review for vegetation fire at Old Dunstan Road, Middlemarch, on 9 November 2019. You also asked
for an update of the costs of the fire and a breakdown of the costs apportioned between Fire and
Emergency and the Department of Conservation.
Fire and Emergency is committed to learning from the incidents we attend. Operational Reviews are
one method Fire and Emergency uses to identify what went well and areas for improvement. Please
find
enclosed a copy of the Operational Review report you requested.
As part of our assessment of your request, we have consulted with the Department of Conservation
on the potential release of the Operational Review report. The Department has asked us to clarify
that while the Operational Review report refers to the person who initially reported the fire as a
Department of Conservation Ranger, the individual was in the Papanui Conservation Park for
recreational purposes, not in their capacity as a Department of Conservation Ranger. The
Department of Conservation Ranger was not in the location as a Department of Conservation
resource, but their knowledge of the area and its terrain meant they were able to supply helpful
information during the early stages of the incident response.
The table overleaf provides a breakdown of the costs recorded by Fire and Emergency as at 26 July
2020. The Department of Conservation has agreed to reimburse Fire and Emergency $593,253 for
the costs incurred for this incident, as the fire was found to have originated on Department of
Conservation land:
F2879764 - Old Dunstan Road 9 November 2019
Costs as at 26 July 2020 ($)
Hire of Aerial Services
408,959
External Firefighting Services*
127,537
Labour
40,838
Travel & Accommodation & Meals
13,558
Incident Catering
6,930
Foam
1,579
Plant & Equipment Hire - Operational
1,350
Operational equipment repairs and maintenance
1,005
Other Supplies
112
Total
601,868
* External firefighting services are those resources that are not owned by Fire and Emergency or, in the case of
people, are not Fire and Emergency personnel. They may include forestry company or Department of
Conservation personnel and operators of heavy equipment such as diggers, bulldozers, water tankers, etc.
You have the right to seek an investigation and review by the Ombudsman of this decision.
Information about how to make a complaint is available at
www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or
freephone 0800 802 602.
Note also that this response (with your personal details removed) may be published on the Fire and
Emergency website.
Yours sincerely
Raewyn Bleakley
Deputy Chief Executive, Office of the Chief Executive
encl