Innovating Wildfire Risk Management in Wānaka

Our Fire Engineering team developed a specialised wildfire risk assessment for a property subdivision in Wānaka, addressing challenges from protected native Kānuka vegetation and stringent environmental regulations.

Challenges

Environmental Constraints: The property is surrounded by Kānuka, a flammable native vegetation protected within the Significant Natural Area (SNA) and designated as part of an Outstanding Natural Landscape (ONL). These classifications aim to conserve ecologically significant and visually important natural elements, limiting land alteration.

Regulatory Compliance: The Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) highlighted significant wildfire risks during the Resource Consent process, necessitating a sophisticated approach to risk assessment and mitigation to gain approval.

Kirk Robert’s Fire Engineering Solution

Comprehensive Wildfire Risk Assessment: Our fire engineering team developed an assessment aligned with Section 106 of the Resource Management Act (1991), incorporating insights from Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ), the Sustainable Land Management and Climate Change (SLMACC) program, and international best practices.

Innovative Mitigation Strategies: A key innovation was a detailed table of proposed risk mitigation measures designed to enhance the safety of both occupants and firefighters without harming the environment.

FireSmart Adaptation: The team utilised the FireSmart manual’s risk assessment checklist to facilitate a before-and-after comparison of the site’s wildfire risk profile, effectively demonstrating that the proposed strategies significantly reduced potential damage.

Results

Due to these innovative solutions, the following results occurred:

• Approval from QLDC: The review and ongoing dialogue with the council led to the official approval of the wildfire risk assessment, validating the effectiveness of the Kirk Roberts Fire team’s methodology in meeting the stringent standards set by QLDC.
• Expertise recognition: This project underscored the team’s capability to handle complex wildfire risk assessments and has led to further engagements with the local council and beyond.

Impact

This Wanaka project set a new standard for responsible development in fire-prone areas by combining innovative fire engineering solutions with environmental and safety considerations, enhancing wildfire risk management practices. Our team’s ability to balance ecological concerns with safety, showcases their leadership in developing sustainable, safe property solutions in challenging environments.

(Images 1 and 2 local Wanaka site, image 3 Photo by Malachi Brooks on Unsplash)