New Zealand national park fights against large fire

Wellington, Nov 9 (IANS) New Zealand's Tongariro National Park has been fighting against a large fire since Saturday, which has now covered 1,600 hectares.

There was no report of casualties or structural damage yet. However, operations have been carried out to evacuate tampers in the national park and people in the nearby facilities. The fire has not been controlled yet.

New Zealand Fire and Emergency Assistant Commander Craig Gold said air operations were prioritised to fight the fire, with additional aircraft being used. Five fixed-wing planes and 12 helicopters are being deployed. In the meantime, four teams of firefighters are fighting on the ground with additional crews supporting the aircraft operations, Xinhua news agency reported.

The forest fire was reported to the Fire and Emergency New Zealand on Saturday afternoon, initially covering 50 hectares. Fire brigades and three helicopters were deployed to fight the fire.

Due to the terrain and extent of the fire, overnight operation was deemed too dangerous for active firefighting, and aircraft were all stood down at nightfall on Saturday.

Established in 1887, Tongariro National Park is New Zealand's first national park. It has an area of around 80,000 hectares. The park is a dual UNESCO World Heritage for both its cultural significance to Māori as well as its outstanding natural features.

The Tongariro Crossing and associated areas, which are a world-famous tourist attraction, are now closed due to the fire. A section of State Highway 47 leading to the national park is closed. A no-fly zone is in place covering the airspace over the fireground and surrounding area, so that firefighting aircraft are not endangered by other aircraft or drones.

The cause of the fire has not been established yet.

In 1993, Tongariro became the first property to be inscribed on the World Heritage List under the revised criteria describing cultural landscapes, according to the UNESCO website. The mountains at the heart of the park have cultural and religious significance for the Maori people and symbolise the spiritual links between this community and its environment.

--IANS

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