Porirua scrub fire
Fire crews continue to fight a scrub fire in the Porirua seaside area of Titahi Bay this morning (Friday) which began late on Thursday night and northerly winds pushed a veil of smoke from the blaze over Wellington’s northern suburbs. Smoke was also reported in the Hutt Valley and the Wellington coastal suburb of Miramar.
What you need to know:
- Fenz was alerted to the blaze at 11.04pm on Thursday, and the first crews arrived by about 11.10pm.
- About 7.15am Friday, Fire and Emergency NZ said eight crews were still working to bring the vegetation fire under control. Helicopters with monsoon buckets would also be working on Friday morning.
- The fire was burning over about 10ha in Whitireia Park, and people were asked to stay away from the area. No homes were at risk, Fenz said.
- Residents in Wellington’s northern suburbs woke to the sight of a red glow in the sky and the smell of smoke in the air.
- Commuters travelling into Wellington city from the north were also driving through heavy smoke over the motorway in the central Porirua area.
- Fenz said smoke was affecting a large part of Porirua, and the National Public Health Service had advised that people in an area where there was smoke should go inside, close the windows and doors and turn off air conditioning units. Anyone who had been exposed to the smoke and was feeling unwell should contact Healthline (0800 611 116) or ring their doctor for advice.
Beware of inhaling smoke:
People should avoid exposure to smoke if possible.
Smoke may irritate the eyes, nose, throat, and airways. Symptoms could include watery or sore eyes, dry or sore throat, sore nose, cough, tightness of the chest or difficulty breathing. In healthy people, most symptoms disappeared soon after exposure to smoke ended and did not cause long-term health problems. Smokers, the elderly, children, and those with heart disease, asthma or other lung disease were at the greatest risk of harm from smoke inhalation.
Poll: Are you as excited as we are for Te Matapihi’s grand reopening?
Wellington’s Te Awe Library on Brandon St will be closing its doors for good at 5 pm on March 1. It’s been the city’s largest temporary library, and now it’s making way for the exciting return of Te Matapihi Central Library!
We want to know: Are you as excited as we are for Te Matapihi’s grand reopening?
Want all the details? The Post has everything you need to know.
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46% Yes
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54% No
Poll: As a customer, what do you think about automation?
The Press investigates the growing reliance on your unpaid labour.
Automation (or the “unpaid shift”) is often described as efficient ... but it tends to benefit employers more than consumers.
We want to know: What do you think about automation?
Are you for, or against?
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9.2% For. Self-service is less frustrating and convenient.
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43.7% I want to be able to choose.
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47.1% Against. I want to deal with people.
Heads up – upcoming gas network works
Copied from the Tawa Business Group Incorporated Facebook page: Powerco Limited, which owns and operates the natural gas network in our area, will be carrying out essential upgrade works along Main Road, Tawa, over the coming weeks as part of their ongoing improvement programme.
🔧 What’s happening? Powerco’s Tier 1 contractor, Downer New Zealand – Energy, will be building a new District Regulator Station (DRS) to replace an older, less efficient station. This will also involve installing new gas mains to connect the new station into the local gas network.
📅 Timing
Exploratory works begin: from 9 February 2026
Main works period: 9 February – 31 March 2026
Road impacts to note:
o From 23–28 February, there will be partial and full road closures (to be confirmed closer to the time).
o During partial closures, there will be no entry into Redwood Ave from Main Road (exit only).
🚦 Traffic & access
Temporary traffic management will be in place at various times. Some areas will be fenced off for safety, and trenches will be bridged with composite vehicle plates. Access for residents and businesses will be maintained throughout the works.
🗺️ Where will work happen? The yellow lines on the map show the areas where trenches will be dug for the new gas mains.
Thanks for your patience while this important infrastructure upgrade is carried out – we’ll share more details as they’re confirmed.
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