Kereru Rural Fire Brigade

11/04/2026

🟠CYCLONE VAIANU UPDATE🟠

🟠NEW HEAVY RAIN WARNING - KAWEKA AND RUAHINE RANGES🟠
🟠Strong Wind Warning and Heavy Rain Watch🟡

11:00AM, Saturday, 11/04/26.

MetService New Zealand update on the upcoming weather.

🟠HEAVY RAIN WARNING – ORANGE – HAWKE'S BAY🟠
Period: 18hrs from 3am - 9pm Sun, 12 Apr
Area: Kaweka and Ruahine Ranges
Forecast: Expect 120 to 140 mm of rain. Peak rates of 15 to 25mm/h Sunday afternoon and evening. Minimal chance of upgrading to a Red Warning.

🟠STRONG WIND WARNING – ORANGE – HAWKE'S BAY🟠
Period: 17hrs from 9am Sun, 12 Apr - 2am Mon, 13 Apr
Area: Gisborne/Tairawhiti, Hawke's Bay and Taihape
Forecast: Severe gale easterlies changing to severe gale northwesterlies Sunday afternoon or evening, gusting 130km/h in exposed places. Moderate chance of upgrading to a Red Warning.

🟡HEAVY RAIN WATCH – HAWKE'S BAY🟡
Period: 16hrs from 2am - 6pm Sun, 12 Apr
Area: Gisborne/Tairawhiti about and south of Tolaga Bay, also coastal hills and ranges of Hawke's Bay excluding the Kaweka and Ruahine Ranges
Forecast: Periods of heavy rain, and amounts may approach warning criteria. Large swells and coastal inundation are likely. Moderate chance of upgrading to a Warning.

SAFETY ADVICE.

⚠️ If life, health or property is at risk, call 111.

💨 SEVERE WIND. Don't walk around outside during severe wind. Don't drive unless necessary. Strong winds can fell trees and poles, tear off roofs, and cause branches and debris to fly at high speed.

🌊 COASTAL INUNDATION/FLOODING. Don’t take any chances. Act quickly if you see rising water. Floods and flash floods can happen quickly. If you see rising water, do not wait for official warnings. Head for higher ground and stay away from floodwater.

Do not try to walk, play, swim, or drive in floodwater: even water just 15 centimetres deep can sweep you off your feet, and half a metre of water will carry away most vehicles. Flood water is often contaminated and can make you sick.

⛰️ LANDSLIDES. Landslides can occur without any warning signs. Be aware of the potential for landslides, particularly in the weeks after potential triggering events, such as heavy rainfall, earthquakes, and previous landslides. If you see a landslide, move quickly out of its path and stay away from it.

❤️‍🩹 WELLBEING. Experiencing severe weather can be incredibly stressful and scary, and take a great toll on your mental health and wellbeing.

Whatever you’re going through, know that you’re not alone.

Try to take things one step at a time – a few slow breaths, checking in with neighbours or loved ones, and keeping up with official advice on how to prepare can all help you feel a bit more steady

💨 For advice on how to prepare for dangerous winds and severe weather visit GetReady.govt.nz

🛈 Stay Informed - keep yourself up to date with the latest forecasts, HBRC River monitoring, highway conditions, and council updates:

https://www.metservice.com/warnings/home
https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/environment/rainfall
https://www.journeys.nzta.govt.nz/Journey-planner

MetService New Zealand Wairoa District Council Napier City Council - Te Kaunihera o Ahuriri Hastings District Council - Te Kaunihera ā-Rohe o Heretaunga Central Hawke's Bay District Council Hawke's Bay Regional Council

11/04/2026

⚠️🚨 LOCAL STATE OF EMERGENCY DECLARED – COASTAL AREAS OF CENTRAL HAWKE’S BAY, HASTINGS, AND NAPIER🚨 ⚠️

12:30pm SATURDAY 11.04.26

A local State of Emergency has been declared in Hawke’s Bay, specifically for coastal areas of Central Hawke’s Bay, Hastings, and Napier.

This declaration does NOT include the Wairoa District.

This will be in place for an initial period of seven days.

The emergency declaration was signed by Hawke’s Bay Civil Defence Emergency Management Group (HBCDEM) and Hawke’s Bay Regional Council chair Sophie Siers at 11.56am today.

The declaration gives Civil Defence Emergency Management controllers special emergency powers to respond to the impacts of Cyclone Vaianu. These powers include evacuating premises and places, which will start in targeted beachfront areas early this afternoon.

HBCDEM group controller Shane Briggs says it is critical residents heed police and Civil Defence instructions and messages.

“The most important thing is that everyone stays safe. For those outside of the evacuation areas, please make decisions based on the risk at your home. Self-evacuate if you feel at all unsafe. For those staying at home during the cyclone, stay off the roads and, as always, if there is a risk to life call 111 immediately,” Shane Briggs said.

The councils for each of the impacted coastal areas, supported by HBCDEM and Police, will coordinate the evacuations. They will be releasing public information following this declaration notice.

For the latest cyclone information, follow the HBCDEM website and page. For evacuation information follow your local council’s channels.

Hawke's Bay Regional Council Napier City Council - Te Kaunihera o Ahuriri Hastings District Council - Te Kaunihera ā-Rohe o Heretaunga Central Hawke's Bay District Council

20/03/2026

Kererū Hill Country Walk & Trail Run
📅 Saturday, 28 March
📍 Kererū Station, Hawke’s Bay

Choose your adventure:
🚶 Approx 20km loop
🚶‍♀️ Approx 14km loop

A delicious home-cooked packed lunch will be delivered to you along the way, with refreshments and a BBQ waiting at the finish.

https://www.eventfinda.co.nz/2026/kereru-hill-country-walk-and-trail/hawkes-bay-gisborne

Rolling paddocks, farm tracks, and the Ruahines so close you feel like you could almost reach out and touch them.

Who’s joining you?

Kererū Hill Country Walk & Trail Run
📅 Saturday, 28 March
📍 Kererū Station, Hawke’s Bay

Choose your adventure:
🚶 Approx 20km loop
🚶‍♀️ Approx 14km loop

A delicious home-cooked packed lunch will be delivered to you along the way, with refreshments and a BBQ waiting at the finish.

Grab your tickets and find out more:
https://www.eventfinda.co.nz/2026/kereru-hill-country-walk-and-trail/hawkes-bay-gisborne

07/03/2026

Planning a land management burn?

Check out these hot tips from us:

Always check whether it’s safe to light a fire and if you’ll need a fire permit at checkitsalright.nz

Once you’ve checked the fire danger using our tool, select notify us at www.Firepermit.nz or on 0800 336 922 (0800FENZCALL). This lets us know you have a planned burn in the area.

Plan your escape route. It’s important to have more than one way out.

Identify a safe zone that is clear of vegetation in case you can’t evacuate and need shelter in place.

For more information safe and effective land clearance and stubble burns have a look at https://www.checkitsalright.nz/reduce-your-risk/fire-for-land-management

19/02/2026

Big hills. Big views. Big smiles (eventually). 😉

https://www.eventfinda.co.nz/2026/kereru-hill-country-walk-and-trail/hawkes-bay-gisborne

20/01/2026

From today (Tuesday 20 January) Ahuriri-Heretaunga, Tukituki West and Tukituki East zones will move to a Restricted Fire Season.

A Restricted Fire Season means you must apply for a permit. DO NOT light your fire until your permit is approved.

Wairoa Inland, Wairoa Coast, Te Haroto, Esk-Tutaekuri, Tararua West, Tararua East Tararua Central, Porangahau and Southern Hawke's Bay Coast will move to an Open Fire Season.

Wherever you are, go to www.checkitsalright.nz to make sure of the fire season in your location, and what rules apply to open fires.

Thank you 🙏

Thank you for taking notice of the fire safety messages over the previous few weeks, while Hawke's Bay was at high risk of fires.

Rain and cooler temperatures have eased the fire risk in parts of Hawke's Bay which has enabled us to reduce restrictions on open air fires in some places and remove them in others.

From today (Tuesday 20 January) Ahuriri-Heretaunga, Tukituki West and Tukituki East zones will move to a Restricted Fire Season.

A Restricted Fire Season means you must apply for a permit. DO NOT light your fire until your permit is approved.

Wairoa Inland, Wairoa Coast, Te Haroto, Esk-Tutaekuri, Tararua West, Tararua East Tararua Central, Porangahau and Southern Hawke's Bay Coast will move to an Open Fire Season.

Wherever you are, go to www.checkitsalright.nz to make sure of the fire season in your location, and what rules apply to open fires.

09/01/2026

It’s getting hot out there, so listen to what we’ve got to say…

🔥 High fire danger across Hawke’s Bay 🔥

Things are heating up across Ahuriri Heretaunga, Central Hawke’s Bay, and Northern Tararua from tomorrow.

With temperatures over 30°C, strong winds, low humidity, and very little rain, we have the potential to have what Fire and Emergency calls spike fire risk days.

🗣️ These conditions mean fires can start easily, spread fast, and quickly become extremely difficult to control.

🚒 Our crews are ready and prepared — but we need the public’s help too.

A few small actions can make a big difference:

🚫 Hold off on spark-makers

Postpone mowing, grinding, welding, or using power tools.

🔥 Check old burn piles

If they’re less than two months old, make sure they’re fully out.

🚒 Clear access for fire trucks

At least 4m wide x 4m high on driveways.

📍 Make your RAPID number visible

It helps crews find you faster when seconds matter.

📞 See smoke? Call 111 immediately

Early calls help us stop small fires becoming big ones.

🚫 Fire permits suspended

Most of Hawke’s Bay is already in a restricted or prohibited fire season, and all fire permits are suspended across the District from today.

👉 Stay up to date at www.checkitsalright.nz

Let’s all do our bit to keep Hawke’s Bay safe.

One spark is all it takes — let’s not be that spark. 🔥🚒

28/12/2025

We hope you all had a wonderful Christmas!
Just a friendly reminder as we head in to our New Year celebrations - we are in a Total Fire Ban
This does mean NO braziers or fireworks and all previous permits are now suspended.
Stay safe and Happy New Year! 🎈

22/12/2025

14/12/2025

Go to checkitsalright.nz and enter your address to find out what fire season you are in, and if you are allowed to light an open-air fire, what conditions you must meet to light.

28/11/2025

🚫 Fire permits across parts of Hawke’s Bay SUSPENDED 🚫

Permits are suspended from today until 4pm on Wednesday, December 3rd in the Ahuriri – Heretaunga, Southern Hawkes Bay Coast, Tukituki East and Porangahau fire permitting zones.

The suspension is due to the elevated fire danger that these areas have been forecasted to experience over the next six days.

Active fire permits are not currently valid and permitted fire(s) must not be lit.

Permit holders will be notified of the suspension and will be notified again when the suspension is lifted, unless the fire permit expires during the suspension.

‼️ If you have lit your fire recently, please make sure it has been fully extinguished and will not reignite in windy conditions‼️

Always check www.checkitsalright.nz for the fire season status in your area.

Map attached of impacted areas.