Summer Vegetation Fires 2025

The story so far

A run of vegetation fires began on 9 January 2025 with a large scrub fire on Whangārei Heads Road, which forced several homes to be evacuated and destroyed 14 to 20 hectares before it was brought under control.^{9, 10 Jan 2025} Other fires followed in the Waitākere Ranges, Tahorakuri Forest, Anawhata Beach (where seven people were rescued), Parewānui and Taheke near Kaikohe, and Auckland Council urged fishers to stop lighting open fires in regional parks.^{14, 15, 16, 18 Jan 2025} In February a fire of about 40 hectares near Island Hills in Hurunui closed State Highway 7 and led to evacuations before it was contained.^{15, 16, 17 Feb 2025} Later that month a fire in the Waipoua area of Northland grew to about 96 hectares, forced residents to evacuate and led to a total fire ban across much of Northland, before it was contained and residents were allowed home, with Tāne Mahuta safe.^{26, 27, 28 Feb 2025; 2 Mar 2025}

Latest

A fire ban was put in place across the Far North after the Waipoua Forest blaze, which burned nearly 100 hectares, and residents began returning to start the clean-up.^{4 Mar 2025} An out-of-control rubbish fire caused the Waipoua blaze, which threatened more than 20 homes in the settlement.^{6 Mar 2025}

Key moments

1. 9 Jan 2025Large scrub fire at Whangārei Heads prompts evacuations of nearby homes.
2. 11 Jan 2025Kūaotunu fire cuts road access to Otama Beach and Opito Bay.
3. 13 Jan 2025Thermal-imaging drones sent to find remaining pockets of fire at Kūaotunu.
4. 15 Jan 2025Seven people rescued from Anawhata Beach after a bush fire.
5. 15 Feb 2025Hurunui fire forces evacuations and closes part of State Highway 7.
6. 26 Feb 2025Waipoua fire spreads to 70 hectares and the last residents are evacuated.
7. 2 Mar 2025Waipoua fire contained; evacuated residents can return and Tāne Mahuta is safe.
8. 6 Mar 2025Out-of-control rubbish fire identified as the cause of the Waipoua blaze.

Written from the stories below; each sentence links to its sources.