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A devastating wildfire scorched 3000ha of Tongariro National Park, but as recovery gets underway, conservation leaders say the blackened landscape could offer a rare chance for large-scale native regeneration. Local Democracy Reporting’s Moana Ellis reports.

A unique ecological legacy could rise from the ashes of the Tongariro National Park wildfire if long-term recovery work succeeds.

The massive blaze tore through 3000ha of New Zealand’s oldest national park last week, burning out of control for nearly three days across the Central Plateau. Helicopters, planes and ground crews fought to contain it as flames triggered evacuations of trampers and residents.

Conservation Minister Tama Potaka said eradicating weed and animal pests from the blackened landscape would be “top of mind” to give natural native regeneration the best chance.

Department of Conservation (DOC) central North Island operations director Damian Coutts described the desperate situation of the fire, which broke out on November 8.

“It felt bloody awful,” Coutts said.

“Sunday night, this thing was not under control and spreading rapidly, even with 21 machines hitting it with everything they had. They couldn’t stop it,” he said at a Waimarino (National Park Village) community meeting on Monday night.

Ruapehu District Council chief executive Clive Manley, who is also the district’s Civil Defence controller, told residents the fire was one-and-a-half times the size of Wellington, and had ripped through 4% of the national park.

Aerial flames tear across the Central Plateau as the Tongariro wildfire burns out of control. Photo / Fire and Emergency

“It was huge in firefighting terms. No lives were lost, few properties were lost. There was a lot of work to protect them and to get people out – a superb effort – but it was a huge, huge drain on the people in our community and [it will have] a lasting impact.”

Monday night’s meeting gathered ministers, Fire and Emergency NZ, Civil Defence, DoC and local and regional council leaders to brief the community on response and recovery efforts.

The fire swept through sub-alpine and alpine scrub, tussock grassland, wetland and forest habitats for threatened plants and wildlife, including insects, kārearea (New Zealand falcon) and whio (blue duck).

Rain eventually helped bring the blaze under control. It was officially declared extinguished on November 16.

Coutts said specialists were now assessing the damage.

“We are committed to doing a fire environmental impact assessment first and a restoration framework linked to that assessment,” he said.

“It looks really black out there, but the fire went through so fast there isn’t [a thick] ash layer. When firefighters were in there digging up the hotspots, there was green in there. So plants below the ground are still green – they will come back.”

A vast swathe of Tongariro National Park lies blackened after last week’s wildfire, which burned through 3000ha. Photo / Bay of Plenty Times

The fire cleared a vast swathe of land, and with it competition for invasive weeds such as heather, gorse, broom and wilding pine that could take hold rapidly after disturbance.

Replanting was unlikely, Coutts said. Natural regeneration would recover the area if weed and animal pests were kept in check.

“It will re-shoot quite quickly. There’s a risk that we’ll see hares, rabbits, deer coming in and browsing on the new growth, so there’s going to have to be both an animal and a weed pest control programme.

“The opportunity here is to build a bigger programme of biodiversity inside Tongariro National Park and to go after broom, gorse and some of its friends on a broader scale.”

DoC Tongariro operations manager Libby O’Brien said the blaze was among the largest fires ever seen in Aotearoa on conservation land.

“Even the tiniest fire is a massive scar on that landscape, but from any vantage point within the national park, so much of what you can see is black.

“It’s whenua that is ridiculously important and special to anyone that’s ever been there, whether you whakapapa to that land, whether you live here or whether you’ve visited.”

Established in 1887 and spanning 79,000ha, Tongariro was New Zealand’s first national park and the fourth in the world. Its three active volcanoes and cultural and geological significance make it a UNESCO dual World Heritage site.

A week-long rāhui placed by local iwi on the Tongariro Alpine Crossing and surrounding area was lifted early Monday, the day after the fire was extinguished. A second, decade-long restorative rāhui was placed over the burn area by Ngāti Hikairo ki Tongariro, a hapū of Ngāti Tūwharetoa, to protect the whenua as it healed.

Firefighters, helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft worked desperately to contain the fast-moving Tongariro blaze, and then stamp out individual hotspots. Photo / DoC

O’Brien said the park was “relatively lucky” from a recreation viewpoint. Damage to the Tongariro Alpine Crossing carpark would limit use for several weeks, while the Mangatepopo Track – part of the Tongariro Northern Circuit Great Walk – would be closed for at least the season as DoC plans for a replacement hut and track upgrades.

It was still too early to fully understand the ecological toll.

“We’ve only just been able to get people out there to assess the issues,” O’Brien said.

“We know we’ve lost a lot of biodiversity. Wildlife – there will be a lot missing. There are a lot of birds up there flying around – birds of prey having a look – and I’ve seen more hares than I’ve ever seen up there. It will be interesting to see how that ecosystem shifts or evolves as regeneration occurs.”

She said the fire had been devastating and traumatic, but had united the community behind recovery.

“The silver lining is we’ve got this amazing opportunity to stop those weeds from coming back, and to keep out browsing animals that move seeds around.”

The challenge ahead would be securing and co-ordinating a long-term restoration workforce.

“We could always do more if we had more people. The trick’s going to be working with the willing – volunteers, partner agencies, hapū and iwi … so many people are keen to help.”

The cause of the wildfire remains under investigation.

Recovery plans take shape

Emergency Management Minister Mark Mitchell told residents the Government’s National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) was working with central government agencies and the national recovery co-ordination group to pinpoint where recovery investment was needed.

“We’ll try to get that done as quickly as we can so that we can get things moving,” Mitchell said.

Conservation Minister Potaka acknowledged the “hits and shocks” the region had endured in recent years, from ski industry turbulence and mill shutdowns to the closure of the Chateau Tongariro.

He said regeneration opportunities could include cycle trails, a potential solution for the chateau, and new housing developments, including social housing projects led by local iwi Ngāti Rangi.

Potaka said he would work to ensure new hapū initiative Maunga Ora was an “all of iwi, government, community effort to restore the place and continue to amplify Ruapehu as a place of iconic and majestic status”.

DoC would also speak with the Tourism Minister about possible funding.

“It might be funded out of existing funding, or it might be out of funding we find at the back of the sofa. The key is that we’ve got to have a plan before we figure out how much money is needed.

Firefighters, helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft worked desperately to contain the fast-moving Tongariro blaze, and then stamp out individual hotspots. Photo / DoC

“That plan should not take six months to figure out – it should be weeks, not months. That’s the direction that I’ve given to the team this afternoon.”

Ngāti Hikairo ki Tongariro said on Monday it would lead the long-term restoration phase alongside DoC and key agencies.

Hikairo rangatira Te Ngaehe Wanikau said the mamae (hurt) for the maunga “runs deep”.

“The true restoration of Tongariro will take time, unity and aroha.”

The carved pou whenua Te Ririo, which stands at the start of the Tongariro Alpine Crossing, had been charred to its core and was still smouldering on Monday.

Wanikau said the four-metre pou had survived as a symbol of resilience and hope. Installed a year ago to acknowledge the cultural significance of the landscape and protect hikers, it would be strengthened at its core and base following the fire damage to ensure stability.

The hapū said Maunga Ora – a shared commitment to healing, regeneration and the future wellbeing of Tongariro – would be developed in partnership with DoC, Fire and Emergency, iwi and the people of Aotearoa.

“We will help the land heal,” Wanikau said.

Ruapehu mayor Weston Kirton said the wildfire had left deep physical and emotional scars.

“I want to acknowledge the shock, fatigue, frustration and the uncertainty,” Kirton told residents.

“I want to express my deepest thanks to Fire and Emergency, DoC, NEMA and our police, iwi partners, volunteers, local businesses and our own council staff. Your efforts protected lives, protected key assets and allowed us to start our recovery journey as quickly as possible.

“Despite that incredible work, the damage is significant. Our whenua has been hurt and so have the communities who rely on it, love it and draw identity from it.”

Kirton said the disaster had created space for renewal. Immediate priorities included building strong partnerships, supporting community wellbeing, sustaining tourism and managing environmental impacts.

“Long-term recovery will build on this, and it must be guided by a model that ensures all voices are heard and reflected in a comprehensive recovery plan.”

Horizons Regional Council chair Nikki Riley said the council would back the region’s recovery efforts.

“We would be willing and enabling partners, and you will have our full support.”

Conservation leaders said Tongariro Alpine Crossing bookings were “back to normal” and the department was preparing for potentially increased visitor interest.

“We could have a different phenomenon where people come not just to walk the Alpine Crossing but to experience the fire zone. We’re going to have to be agile and keep working with tourism operators to manage this,” Coutts said.

“There’s a real concern emerging about people walking off-track, where the ecology will be fragile.”