Regional Councillor Says Northburn Burn Off “Polluted Cromwell” & Those Authorities That Should Care, Don’t Care

https://www.odt.co.nz/regions/central-otago/fenz-urges-caution-controlled-burns

A media story published in the Otago Daily Times this morning does not give an accurate picture of the pollution caused by a three day burn off at Northburn Station just out of Cromwell, says regional councillor Michael Laws.

“ Apart from the aesthetic ugliness of the Northburn burn-off, a burn off that lasted over three days, not two, there was genuine air pollution from the event. I’m staggered that the authorities involved – Fire ^& Emergency NZ and the Otago Regional Council – gave consent or then refused to monitor the fall out.

“ Ash fell throughout Cromwell on Wednesday (see photos) and was especially severe in parts of Bannockburn, I’m told. I’ve had numerous constituent complaints at the ugly sights, the smell and the falling ash in urban areas.”

Cr Laws said that he will be raising the issue at the Otago Regional Council’s regulatory Committee meeting in Dunedin, and that the chairman Cr Brian Scott, had Indicated that a discussion would definitely be held.”

“ Let’s be clear: massive spring burn offs are causing real upset in our urban communities and I understand that. The detritus, the smell, the blighting of scenic landscapes … It’s an issue all right. On Wednesday and Thursday of this week, Cromwell effectively had its own volcano complete with ash fall out. That was the scale of the Northburn burn off.”

Cr Laws raised the issue with the Pollution Hotline of the ORC “and was stunned to be told by a senior ORC manager that unless he had proof that he wouldn’t be acting. He was 225 kilometres away from the event so I offered that proof - photographs and the ash. This wasn’t good enough for him. It’s as if the ORC is making itself purposefully blind.”

ENDS

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