News

Two offenders have been sentenced for their roles in a massive wildfire that swept through the Awarua Wetlands in Southland on April 2, 2022. The fire, lit during a prohibited fire season with a total fire ban in place, destroyed 1,330 hectares of the internationally recognised wetland.
Brendon Robert Hunter, 32, appeared in the Invercargill District Court for lighting the devastating fire, while Thomas Bernard Fulton, 36, watched as it happened. A third individual involved in the incident is expected to be sentenced at a later date.
The Awarua Wetlands, New Zealand’s first Ramsar Convention site of international importance, suffered severe environmental damage. The fire destroyed 980 hectares of native vegetation, harming the habitat of endangered species such as the Australasian bittern and killing numerous animals. Aaron Fleming, the Department of Conservation's Southern South Island Operations Director, noted that the fire released 104,000 tonnes of carbon emissions—equivalent to driving over 400 million kilometres in a petrol car. The aftermath has seen invasive weeds outcompeting native plants in the burned areas.
Deputy National Commander Steph Rotarangi described the wildfire as a serious breach of fire safety rules. Fire and Emergency New Zealand pursued legal action, emphasising the severity of the impact on the wetlands and the total fire ban in place at the time.
Two of the offenders have already been sentenced. One received seven months of home detention with post-detention conditions and was ordered to pay $10,000 in reparations. The second was sentenced to 200 hours of community work, 12 months of supervision, and the same reparation amount. The wildfire marked only the second prosecution under the Fire and Emergency New Zealand Act 2017.
Fire and Emergency New Zealand stressed the importance of checking fire regulations at checkitsalright.nz before lighting any fires. The Ramsar Convention, which protects the Awarua Wetlands, is an international treaty promoting the conservation and wise use of wetlands.