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10.3 Fire Protection
Authors: Murray DudfieldPublication: NZIF Forestry Handbook, Volume Section 10 – Forest health and protection, pp 3, Dec 2023
Publisher: New Zealand Institute of Forestry
Abstract: New Zealand is not shielded from periods of extreme wildfires normally associated with Australia or North America. The annual average direct financial impact of unwanted forest and rural fires on the New Zealand's economy is estimated at $67 million, with indirect costs estimated to be at least 2-3 times this. The total area of exotic plantation forests in New Zealand is around 1.8 million hectares. In the management of fire in the forest and rural landscape the frequent challenges for agencies and individuals responsible for making decisions relating to forest and rural land use, and unwanted vegetation fires, lies in testing the effectiveness of such decisions. Decisions need to take account of the uncertainties and risks, and opportunities that may be the consequences of these decisions. Plantation forested lands often carry heavy and highly flammable fuels, usually for at least the first fifteen years of each rotation. Much of this is light fuel easily ignited, and can burn with a high spread rate and high fire intensities. This fuel type includes logging and silvicultural debris, dry grass, and brush weeds.