2024 Port Hills fire

File:2024 Marleys Hill Fire.jpg site at the top of Marleys Hill on 15 February 2024]]

Fire and Emergency New Zealand said that dry weather had led to "tinder conditions".{{Cite web |date=2024-02-14 |title=Port Hills fire – Expert Reaction |url=https://www.sciencemediacentre.co.nz/2024/02/14/port-hills-fire-expert-reaction/ |access-date=2024-02-14 |language=en-US}} Dozens of properties were evacuated, including the nearby Princess Margaret Hospital.{{Cite web |date=2024-02-15 |title=Port Hills fire: Battle resumes as flames reach adventure park |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/christchurch-port-hills-fire-city-under-local-state-of-emergency/LFT6XFFDQ5BOLL4ZCKBS2EICKM/ |access-date=2024-02-14 |website=The New Zealand Herald |language=en-NZ}}{{Cite web |date=2024-02-14 |title=Port Hills fire: Large vegetation fire in Christchurch, hospital and residents evacuated, power out |url=https://www.teaonews.co.nz/2024/02/14/port-hills-fire-large-vegetation-fire-in-christchurch-hospital-and-residents-evacuated-power-out/ |access-date=2025-01-01 |website=Te Ao Māori News |language=en-NZ}} On 14 February a state of emergency was declared in Christchurch and Selwyn. Starting at 2:45 pm, for 25 minutes, 39,000 properties were left without power. Transpower determined that the cause was soot causing arcing and an outage at the Bromley substation.{{Cite web |date=2024-02-15 |title=39,000 lost power to Christchurch fire |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/morningreport/audio/2018926123/39-000-lost-power-to-christchurch-fire |access-date=2024-02-15 |website=RNZ |language=en-nz}} As of 15 February, the fire was being fought by 28 fire appliances, 14 helicopters and two retardant-dropping aircraft, which consisted of 80 Fire and Emergency crews.{{Cite web |date=2024-02-14 |title=Christchurch Port Hills fire: What you need to know |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/509196/christchurch-port-hills-fire-what-you-need-to-know |access-date=2024-02-14 |website=RNZ |language=en-nz}}

On the night of 14 February, 80 homes were evacuated, and firefighters created a fire break between Worsleys Spur and Dyers Pass Road.{{Citation needed|date=February 2024}} On the night of 17 February and the morning after, a civilian drone caused several helicopters to be grounded.{{Cite web |title=Drone incidents hamper Port Hills firefighting efforts |url=https://www.1news.co.nz/2024/02/18/drone-incidents-hamper-port-hills-firefighting-efforts/ |access-date=2024-02-18 |website=1News |language=en}}

The cause of the fire is officially undetermined.{{sfn|Foley|2024}} The fire began on private property sometime between 1:45 pm and 2:08 pm.{{sfn|Foley|2024|p=17}} The first call to emergency services was made at 2:13 pm.{{sfn|Operational Assurance|2025|p=12}} While the property owner had been in the area before the fire, no ignition source could be identified. Due to the high relative humidity, it is possible the fire started earlier as a smouldering fire, and only ignited into flame later.{{sfn|Foley|2024|p=23}}

Police and FENZ asked for photographs of the fire between 1:45 pm and 2:45 pm to trace the origin, a half hour before and after the fire began.{{Cite web |title=Home destroyed in Port Hills blaze, wind shift possible |url=https://www.1news.co.nz/2024/02/15/live-home-destroyed-in-port-hills-blaze-wind-shift-possible/ |access-date=15 February 2024 |website=1News |language=en}} The footage received from the public assisted in determining the time the fire started.{{sfn|Foley|2024|pp=10-11}} The ignition point of the fire has been identified as within metres of a public walking track in a pine plantation on Worsleys Spur.{{citation|title=Port Hills fire started in pine trees burned seven years earlier|language=en|work=The Press |first1=Charlie|last1=Mitchell|date=2024-02-16|access-date=2024-02-18|url=https://www.thepress.co.nz/nz-news/350182127/port-hills-fire-started-pine-trees-burned-seven-years-earlier|url-access=subscription}}

Ultimately, FENZ determined there was no evidence that the fire was intentionally lit, though Christchurch Adventure Park managing director John McVicar said he felt it was likely the result of arson.

In the aftermath of the fire, questions were raised about whether it was safe to replant the area with highly flammable pine trees. Residents expressed frustration that the area was replanted with pine trees after the 2017 fire. Christchurch City Council Mayor Phil Mauger and Selwyn District Council Mayor Sam Broughton wrote to the government forestry minister Todd McClay requesting changes to forestry rules that made it difficult for the councils to manage wildfire hazards, but the government declined to act on the request.{{citation|title='Swift, aggressive response' helped control most recent Port Hills fire - FENZ|language=en|work=RNZ |first1=Keiller|last1=Macduff|date=2025-02-12|access-date=2025-02-13|url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/541684/swift-aggressive-response-helped-control-most-recent-port-hills-fire-fenz}}

In an operational review released in February 2025, FENZ found that their "aggressive" approach to the fire had resulted in a quicker resolution than the previous 2017 fire. They revealed they had spent {{currency|3000000|NZD}} extinguishing it, less than the {{currency|7000000|NZD|linked=no}} spent on the 2017 fire. Additional early-warning detector systems designed by Attentis were installed in the Port Hills. The system did not provide early warning of the fire, but was useful in informing the FENZ response.

During the recovery the Christchurch City Council spent {{currency|750000|NZD|linked=no}} on protecting downstream waterways from sediment and ash runoff.

• {{citation

|title=2024 Port Hills Fire Investigation Report and Operational Review

|language=en

|publisher=Fire and Emergency New Zealand

|first=John

|last=Foley

|access-date=2024-12-24

|date=2024-09-24

|url=https://www.fireandemergency.nz/assets/Documents/Research-and-reports/Port-Hills-2024/F3914792-Worsley-Road-Fire-Report-FINAL-REDACTED.pdf

|archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20241218091846/https://www.fireandemergency.nz/assets/Documents/Research-and-reports/Port-Hills-2024/F3914792-Worsley-Road-Fire-Report-FINAL-REDACTED.pdf

|archive-date=2024-12-18

}}

• {{ citation

|title=Operational Review: F3914792 Port Hills 2 Fire

|language=en

|publisher=Fire and Emergency New Zealand

|author=Operational Assurance

|access-date=2025-02-14

|date=2025-02-14

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250213004632/https://www.fireandemergency.nz/assets/Documents/Research-and-reports/Port-Hills-2024/Operational-Review-F3914792-Port-Hills-2-Fire.pdf

|archive-date=2025-02-13

|url=https://www.fireandemergency.nz/assets/Documents/Research-and-reports/Port-Hills-2024/Operational-Review-F3914792-Port-Hills-2-Fire.pdf

}}

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Category:2024 wildfires

Category:2024 disasters in New Zealand

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