Media advisory
Thursday 28 February 2013

Matakana fire – update

Firefighters at Dome Valley Matakana worked hard yesterday to dampen down the flames and ensure the fire is well within the containment lines.

The large, ground- based crew of 73 firefighters continues today to use heavy machinery to manage the fire and reduce its size.

Principal Rural Fire Officer, Bryan Cartelle, says he’s pleased with the progress being made.

“The crew’s working hard and we’re using thermal imagery technology to identify hot spots where we should focus our attention. This tactic is working well for us and we’re definitely making headway.”

A thorough investigation into the cause of the fire is in progress but it will be some time before the findings are released.

The region-wide fire ban across Auckland remains, “breaches of the ban and careless behaviour will not be tolerated”, says Mr Cartelle.

Ends

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