Fire crews hand control of Whangamarino Wetland back to conservation department after containment

Fire and Emergency has returned control of the scrub fire near Meremere in Waikato to the Department of Conservation after fully containing it. The fire burned approximately 1,039 hectares, primarily affecting the Whangamarino Wetland. The wetland, the second largest freshwater wetland in the North Island, is ecologically significant. Fire crews, along with local iwi, managed to protect about 148 hectares of the area during the incident. An investigation into the cause of the fire is ongoing. The fire released an estimated 96,000 to 181,800 tonnes of greenhouse gases, valued at $5.1 to $9.6 million in carbon markets.