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NEWS FLASH


NEWS FLASH
Photo Information
Copyright: Janice Dunn (Janice) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3315 W: 148 N: 6113] (18648)
Genre: Plants
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2006-12-17
Categories: Rain Forest
Camera: Canon EOS 30d, Canon 17-40mm f/4 L USM
Exposure: f/10.0, 1/250 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): Janice's FerNZ, New Zealand ferns, New Zealand Native Fauna and Flora (2) [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2007-02-02 5:58
Viewed: 1513
Points: 14
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
BREAKING NEWS

Wind change frustrates firefighters at Northland forest fire

Posted at 10:21pm on 02 Feb 2007

Firefighters battled a wind change as they struggled to control a fire in Waipoua Forest, north of Dargaville.

The fire has destroyed 200ha of pine and scrub, and fire crews were hoping they would have it well under control by Friday evening after containing it with a fire break.

The wind swung around to the southwest in the afternoon, fanning the flames again. The fire is now contained but by no means under control.

The Conservation Department says more staff are being brought in to combat the fire, located between the coast and the forest. Reinforcements from throughout the North Island will arrive on Saturday. About 100 department staff are on the scene and expect to remain throughout the weekend.

Ground crews will have to stop work when it gets dark, but helicopters with monsoon buckets will continue into the night.

The fire is believed to have been started by people cooking mussels over a fire on a nearby beach.

The pine plantation borders the Waipoua Forest which is home to the giant kauri, Tane Mahuta.

DOC says the fire is not threatening the kauri forest and about 60 percent of the blaze is surrounded by fire breaks.

Waipoua Forest covers about 25,000ha. It is the last significant kauri forest in New Zealand and home to 450 species of trees, many of them classified as endangered.

Copyright © 2006 Radio New Zealand
uleko, scottevers7, jeanpaul, loot, dew77 has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

Hi Janice,
Those stupid people and there lack of responsibility when making a fire. I really hope that the fire fighters are able to contain the fire. It would be really sad to see such a beautiful forrest disappear by the fire. I know how long it will take to recover and that many species will not return. Lets hope for the best.
TFS,
Niek

  • Great 
  • uleko Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3002 W: 162 N: 991] (2901)
  • [2007-02-02 7:13]

Hello Janice,
It's dreadful to hear about these destructive forest fires in Australia. I suppose Australia has always had the fires in the Eucalyptus forests, but no doubt the climate changes and drought is making it even worse. I hope these lovely tree ferns will not be affected!
Very nice illustration of these ferns, sharp and good depth of focus. Interesting note too!
TFS and regards, Ulla

Hi Janice,
A difficult decesion. You lose beautiful old growth trees, but it is a part of nature and allows for regeneraation of new plants. It looks like such a nice lush forest. It must be very dry for it to burn so fast.
Scott

Bonjour Janice
Magnifique prise de vue de ce beau paysage avec ces belles couleurs, belle composition et les details sont très beaux.
Merci et bravo....JP

Hello Janice,
This is too sad... It happens often all around the world and those fires are a catastrophe. I know that some people will say that it is not that bad as it's good for regeneration but if there are some endangered species there, is it a calamity. It happens here also during summer almost every year in many regions of Canada. I use to go to the same National Park during the summer to do camping and I often thought about wood's fires as it happens regularly that the camp’s fire are forbidden during the risky periods. It would be a catastrophe for me if something like that happens to this paradise. I hope that the situation will be controlled very, very soon.
Claudine
: )….

  • Great 
  • dew77 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 4774 W: 294 N: 4020] (13209)
  • [2007-02-03 12:15]

Hello Janice,
This happens every year also in our country.I hope it will be out as soon as possible.Your capture is wonderful.Well caught,framed and composed.
TFS..:-)

  • Great 
  • loot Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5452 W: 594 N: 3665] (10075)
  • [2007-02-05 16:49]
  • [2]

Hi Janice

By the time I did this critique I already got word of the good news that the fire was under control and that all further danger to the precious ‘fauna and flora’ of this wonderful eco-system of the Waipoua Forest has been contained. Thus it gave me so much more time to appreciate the beauty of the scenery which is absolutely astonishing. As usual there is normally no problem to find a fern or 10 on one of your photos and this one obviously do not disappoint. And to think that it was nearly all lost just because of a couple of mindless people cooking some mussels on an open fire on the beach without obviously taking the necessary precautions to ensure this kind of incident will not occur.

Good work and TFS.
Regards
Loot

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