Manawatu Volunteer Fire Brigade

25/05/2026

24/05/2026

Wow what an incredible result!

A huge thank you to Kate from Turnaround for organising such an amazing event and for the incredible effort that went into making the Fashion Extravaganza Fundraiser such a success.

We’d also like to acknowledge and sincerely thank all of the local businesses who supported the event through sponsorship, covering event costs, and donating raffle prizes. Your generosity and backing makes a massive difference.

And finally, thank you to our amazing community for continuing to show up, support local causes, and get behind events like this. It’s support like this that truly strengthens our community.

24/04/2026

🌺 Lest We Forget 🌺

This ANZAC Day, we honour the courage, sacrifice, and service of all those who have served and continue to serve. 🕊️🎖️

20/04/2026

Heavy Rain Watch – 2pm today to midnight Tuesday

Manawatū District is under a Heavy Rain Watch, with thunderstorms and periods of heavy downpours expected.

With neighbouring districts forecast to receive higher rainfall, our upper catchments are likely to see rising river levels. As a precaution,
❗the Makino Floodgates will close this evening and
❗Pharazyn Road is scheduled to close at 7:00pm tonight.

Please take care and be prepared:
👉Drive to the conditions and allow extra travel time
👉Clear drains and gutters around your property
👉Check in on neighbours, especially those who may need support
👉Watch for slips, surface flooding, and fallen trees

We’ll continue to monitor the situation and provide updates as needed.

In case of an emergency please call 111.
If you need urgent assistance, please call Council on 06 323 000. For non-urgent issues, you can report these through Antenno.

14/04/2026

🔥Manawatū-Whanganui coastal zone moves to open fire season 🔥

The Manawatū-Whanganui coastal zone will move into an open fire season from 8am Tuesday 14 April, until further notice.

An open fire season means you do not need to apply for a permit from Fire and Emergency New Zealand to light an outdoor fire.

District Manager Nigel Dravitzki says the current weather conditions have driven the change in fire season.

"The area has had sufficient rainfall over the weekend, with more rain expected over the coming week.

"This along with a change to cooler temperatures means the fire danger in the coastal zone has eased."

Nigel Dravitzki reminds people to check the weather conditions before lighting an open-air fire.

"The conditions can change quickly, so if you’re planning on lighting a fire, remember to continue going to www.checkitsalright.nz to check if it’s safe to light."

12/04/2026

Cyclone Vaianu Update: 4pm Sunday 12 April

Conditions across Manawatū have been less severe than initially forecast, with the main impacts expected overnight.

🔶⚠ Strong winds and rain are still possible, with warnings and watches still in place. Please take care and secure any loose items around your property.

As many people return to work tomorrow, take extra care on your morning commute. High winds may bring down branches and debris, so please:
👉drive to the conditions,
👉allow extra time, and
👉keep a safe following distance.
👉Be mindful of any surface flooding and never drive through floodwater.

For households with a Monday rubbish, recycling or food waste collection, please place your bins kerbside by 7.30am tomorrow morning not tonight.

We do not anticipate issuing a further Council update tonight. However, if you need to contact us or report damage, please call 06 323 000. For non-urgent reports, you can also use the Antenno app.

In the event of an emergency, call 111.

Please take care and look out for your neighbours and wider community.

08/04/2026

🌪️ Tropical Cyclone Vaianu is making its way across the Pacific and is tracking towards Aotearoa New Zealand. While uncertainty remains regarding the cyclone's exact track, MetService is forecasting Vaianu to made landfall on Saturday evening and impact our region from Sunday.

🌧️ It seems strange to talk about a weather system so far in advance, but all models indicate this one is likely to hit almost everywhere across the North Island.

🟡 MetService New Zealand has issued a strong wind watch for Sunday 12 April from 1am until 11pm for the entire region (and the rest of the North Island). As Vaianu gets closer, MetService is likely to issue orange warnings (and possibly red warnings) as they get more certainty on how the cyclone will move across the motu.

💪 While the weather is okay at the moment (says the admin, looking out the window, thinking about the wet washing on the line), it is always better to be prepared early. Now is the time to start thinking about the following:

🛝 Tie down or fix any outdoor furniture, play equipment, and anything else that could be picked up by the wind and turned into a missile.
🍂 Remove debris such as leaves and branches from your gutters and drains.
🐶 Make a plan for your whānau and pets.
🏡 Check on your neighbours and anyone who might need your help.
🐮 Start planning where you will move farm animals if there is flooding and high winds.
🔋 Check that you have torches, as well as a solar- or battery-powered radio so you can keep up with the latest news and alerts.

👉 More information on what to do before, during and after a storm is on our website: https://www.mwcdem.govt.nz/regional-hazards/storms

👀 Keep an eye on our website or MetService New Zealand for the latest watches and warnings. We are continuing to monitor the situation and having meetings with partner agencies, and will issue updates as and when we have them. We'll likely do our next update tomorrow.

🫶 This can be a stressful time. If you need to talk to somebody, you can free text or call 1737 to speak to a counsellor, call Healthline on 0800 611 116 or talk to your local GP.

Please share this information with whānau, friends and neighbours.

08/01/2026

If you’re still writing your New Year’s resolutions, consider adding ‘be fire safe this summer’ to that list! 🔥

After a wet holiday period for many of us, summer has finally returned to Aotearoa New Zealand. While this may seem like good news, it also poses an increased fire risk.

This weekend, many parts of the country will be experiencing elevated fire danger conditions, with temperatures expected to surpass 30 degrees in some locations, wind gusts of 30km/h at times, and low humidity.
These conditions are what we call a perfect storm for wildfire risk!

The risk will be highest in the Canterbury, Marlborough, Wairarapa, Hawke’s Bay, Tairāwhiti, and Northland districts.

If your weekend plans include any activities involving an outdoor fire or spark/heat generating activities such as using power tools and mowing the lawn, we’re asking you to consider postponing these activities.

Physically check any burn piles from the last few weeks are fully extinguished. If in doubt put more water on it to make sure it’s fully extinguished ahead of these extreme conditions

You can stay updated on this weekend’s weather conditions and seek safety advice on www.checkitsalright.nz