Forest owners invest $8.1m annually in wildfire protection [NZ]Friday 24 Jul 2026
The investment extends beyond emergency response, covering training, specialist equipment, vehicles, prevention activities and insurance. The 2025 Wildfire Statistics and Forest Fire Management Capabilities Study found forest owners maintain trained fire crews, heavy machinery, specialist firefighting equipment, water supplies and fire management plans across 77 percent of New Zealand's plantation forest estate. New Zealand Forest Owners Association (NZFOA) and New Zealand Farm Forestry Association (NZFFA) Fire Committee Chair Sean McBride says the study demonstrates the significant investment forest owners make in capability and equipment to ensure wildfires can be detected and contained quickly year-on-year. "Forestry is the only private landowner group in New Zealand maintaining substantial in-house wildfire suppression capability, " Sean says. "Forest owners maintain trained crews, water supplies, pumps, tankers and heavy machinery so they can move quickly when a fire breaks out. "This capability also supports Fire and Emergency New Zealand, neighbouring landowners and rural communities during wildfire events." The survey found that the most damaging fires recorded by forest owners start outside forest boundaries, often spreading from grass or scrub into plantations. “Most rural fires ignite in grassland outside forests but can quickly cross from one property to another,” Sean says. “While forests are generally more resistant to ignition than surrounding grass and scrub, those grassland fuels dry quickly, ignite easily and can spread fire rapidly into neighbouring properties including forests. "This is why forest owners invest heavily in people, equipment and local capability. Our crews know the forest roads, water points and terrain, enabling them to respond quickly when every minute counts." The study found the number of slip-on firefighting units - where a water tank or pump is mounted on a ute or truck – are an increasingly important tool for forest owners’ rapid wildfire response. The number of units have more than doubled in recent years, from 12 in 2022 to 28 in 2025. "These units are critical for enabling crews to get water directly to a developing fire promptly," Sean says. With El Niño forecast to bring drier, windier conditions and elevated fire danger across many parts of New Zealand this summer, maintaining a strong level of readiness will be particularly important. Sean says preventing fires from starting remains the most effective way to reduce wildfire risk. "People cause around 98 percent of New Zealand’s wildfires, so everyone has a role to play in mitigating the risk. Before carrying out work, check the conditions and current fire danger, follow any restrictions and postpone activities when the risk is high to prevent fires from starting. "While the forestry sector invests heavily in prevention and suppression capability, the safest and most effective method is a fire that never starts." Source & image credit: NZFOA | ||
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