Paparoa Volunteer Fire Brigade

10/04/2026

The brigade has quietly being preparing for Vaianu over the last few days. This morning is the last opportunity to get things sorted.

Our colleagues Civil Defence Northland have some really great advice to get you through.

Kia ora Northland,

We’re continuing to keep a close watch on Cyclone Vaianu, which is expected to affect our region from Saturday night through Sunday.

While there is still some uncertainty around the system’s exact track and impacts, Northland Civil Defence, local councils, emergency services, and lifeline utilities are actively preparing, and we’re asking Northlanders and visitors to the region to do the same.

MetService New Zealand will continue to update forecasts as we get closer. Please keep up to date with the latest watches and warnings for Northland here:
👉 https://www.metservice.com/warnings/home -north

So, now is a good time to get ready, ahead of any bad weather.

What you can do now to prepare
➡️Clear drains and gutters
➡️Secure loose outdoor items like trampolines, furniture, and building materials
➡️Move vehicles, valuables, and livestock away from flood prone areas
➡️Bring pets indoors and relocate animals from low lying land
➡️Prepare for possible power outages – charge phones and power banks, and make sure you have food, water, torches, radios, batteries, and any essential medications
➡️Have a grab bag ready with warm clothes, important documents, and essential items
➡️Decide where you will go if you need to evacuate and make sure everyone in your household knows. Your evacuation place will probably be with friends or family, so make sure they know your plans.

For campers, motorhomes, and visitors to the region ⛺
➡️Please avoid staying in low lying, river, or coastal areas, which may be more exposed to flooding and storm surge
➡️Strong winds can be dangerous for tents, campers, and motorhomes, especially in exposed locations
➡️If you’re camping or travelling, review your plans now and make sure you are in a safe, sheltered area before any bad weather arrives

Boaties 🚤
Strong winds and swells are expected, so make sure to check mooring lines and ensure vessels are secure.
You can find more tips and information here: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/18SFjQUx2W/

Stay informed
➡️Follow updates from MetService, your local council, and us here at Civil Defence Northland
➡️Information about local roads and infrastructure is best accessed through your local council
➡️ If welfare centres or marae are opened this information will be shared via council websites and social media

We’ll share another update tomorrow as more information becomes available. Preparing early makes a real difference.

For more preparedness tips, visit 👉 GetReady.govt.nz

Stay safe Northland, we’ve got this!

04/04/2026

The time has come to check your smoke alarms are in good working order. Don’t have any, aren’t sure where to put them or just need a hand to do it? Check out this link and register for a free home safety check - https://www.fireandemergency.nz/home-fire-safety/home-fire-safety-visits/

03/04/2026

02/04/2026

🚒 Paparoa Volunteer Fire Brigade – Brigade Support Volunteers Needed 🚒

Kia ora Paparoa community,

We’re on the lookout for Brigade Support Officers to join our team!

Not everyone wants to attend emergency callouts—and that’s absolutely okay. There are still plenty of meaningful ways to support your local brigade and make a real difference in your community.

💛 What could this role involve?
Supporting community engagement events
Assisting with station activities
Helping look after children when firefighters are out on calls
Providing general support to keep the brigade running smoothly

This is a volunteer role and is perfect for anyone who:
✔️ Wants to give back to the community
✔️ May not want to attend emergency callouts
✔️ Feels firefighting might not be the right fit physically
✔️ Still wants to be part of a supportive and rewarding team

Every role in the brigade matters, and support behind the scenes is just as important as being on the truck.

If you’re interested or would like to know more, send us a message or get in touch with the brigade—we’d love to hear from you!

Ngā mihi,
Paparoa Volunteer Fire Brigade 🚒

17/02/2026

Last week we were really excited to get a walk through our new station. Here are a couple of photos of the progress

07/02/2026

Another fantastic year of wajax racing at the Paparoa Show. This is an opportunity for the rural crews to show off their skills in using the rural workhouse wajax pump.

This year we had 4 teams competing - reigning champions Tinopai, Maungakaramea, Paparoa and the rural task force team (TK). There was fierce competition with Paparoa having the fastest run of the day 1.02 seconds.
The day ended with both Paparoa and Tinopai being dispatched to a scrub fire.

20/01/2026

Update 22/01/26.

MetService New Zealand Red Heavy Rain Warning was lifted last night (Wed 21 Jan) after 11 PM.

See our latest post for details: https://www.facebook.com/civildefencenorthland/posts/pfbid02EtahrNUBKLpYSUA7FvthwPeEXxQQ1MtEw42AV8H8uxoP4ZYz8Mu1PCM9F5qibCD8l

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🔴 MetService New Zealand has upgraded Northland's Orange Heavy Rain Warning to a Red Heavy Rain Warning. A Red Warning is only issued for the most impactful events.

With this heavy rain coming on top of the constant heavy rain we’ve been having, streams and rivers may rise rapidly and become dangerous. Surface flooding, slips and flood water are likely to close roads and disrupt travel. Flooding of low-lying areas is also possible.

The main period of concern remains the next bout of rain that is forecast to arrive later today, and will continue overnight; especially for communities that have already experienced impacts from previous rainfall.

🔴 Full warning details:

Heavy Rain Warning - Red

-Period: 14hrs from 9am - 11pm Wed, 21 Jan

-Area: Northland

-Forecast: Expect another 90 to 120 mm of rain on top of what has already accumulated, or possibly more in some localised areas, especially in the north and east. Peak rates 25 to 40 mm/h in localised downpours from this afternoon.

-Impact: Threat to life from dangerous river conditions, significant flooding and slips. Conditions will disrupt travel, make some roads impassable, and isolate communities.

-Action: Do not enter floodwaters and avoid travel. Act quickly to self-evacuate if you see rising water. Be ready for power and communications outages.

📡For the latest update on the warnings head to: https://www.metservice.com/warnings/home -

Taking a few simple steps now can make a big difference, and even if conditions aren’t as severe where you are, there’s no harm in being prepared.

For anyone who hasn’t yet, or who needs a reminder — if it is safe to do so:
-Clear drains and gutters

-Secure loose outdoor items

-Move valuables and vehicles away from flood-prone areas

-Relocate stock from low-lying land and bring pets indoors

-Have essential supplies ready in case of power outages or road closures

-Have a grab bag and evacuation plan ready

If at any time you feel you, your whānau, or your property are at immediate risk, please call emergency services on 111 📞

📍Your local district council is the best place to both report issues with and get updates on, local infrastructure, such as local roads.

Northland Civil Defence works across the councils to provide local welfare support. If centres or marae are open to provide support, they will be published on the district council websites below:

Whangarei District Council | Phone: 0800 932 463 | Website: www.wdc.govt.nz

Far North District Council | Phone: 0800 920 029 | Website: www.fndc.govt.nz

Kaipara District Council | Phone: 0800 727 059 | Website: www.kaipara.govt.nz

🔌Power outages:

Whangārei & Kaipara Districts (Northpower): https://northpower.nz/outages/

You can contact the Northpower faults line: 0800 104 040

Far North District (Top Energy) https://outages.topenergy.co.nz/

You can phone Top Energy: 0800 867 363

🚧State highways: https://www.journeys.nzta.govt.nz/journey-planner

We’ll continue to monitor conditions closely and share updates as the situation develops.

Local councils, emergency services, and Northland Civil Defence continue to meet regularly and coordinate closely. We are monitoring the situation in close contact with MetService and the Northland Regional Council hydrology team, and are positioning resources around the region so we can respond effectively if needed.

Stay safe Northland, we got this!

20/01/2026

With weather conditions expected to remain changeable, residents across Northland are encouraged to take simple preparedness steps over the coming days.

🔑Key preparedness actions you can take:
• Secure outdoor furniture and any loose items
• Clear drains and gutters
• Move valuables and vehicles away from flood prone areas
• Relocate stock from low lying land and bring pets indoors
• Ensure you have food, water, medications, torches, and charged devices
• Have a grab bag and evacuation plan ready

People are urged to keep up to date with the latest forecasts and warnings at:
👉 https://www.metservice.com/warnings/home -north
Further preparedness advice is available at:
👉 https://getready.govt.nz/emergency/storms

If you believe you, your family, or your property are at immediate risk, call emergency services on 111.

Civil Defence Northland will continue to monitor the situation closely and provide updates via:
👉 https://www.facebook.com/civildefencenorthland
👉 https://www.nrc.govt.nz/civildefence/

Useful information
• State highway conditions: https://www.journeys.nzta.govt.nz/highway.../northland
• Local roads: Check council websites and pages
o Whangarei District Council
o Kaipara District Council
o Far North District Council
• Power outages:
Northpower: https://northpower.nz/outages/
Top Energy:
https://outages.topenergy.co.nz/

• To check if your property may be in a flood prone area or exposed to potential hazards check the below hazard maps:
👉 https://www.nrc.govt.nz/.../natural-hazards.../hazard-maps/

10/01/2026

It’s starting to get hot and dry out there which is increasing the fire risk.

97% of wildfires in Aotearoa New Zealand are caused by people. We can’t control the fire risk, but we can control our actions!!

- 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.
- In these conditions, all it takes is one spark or ember to start a wildfire that will get out of control quickly and be very difficult for our crews to extinguish.

31/12/2025

Another busy year for our brigade. Our calls have more than doubled over the last 10 years.
We are always looking for more volunteers - whether that is to call out on the trucks or helping out in an around the station. Interested? Drop us a DM and one of the team will get back to you.

24/12/2025

🎄🔥 Season’s Greetings from Paparoa Fire Brigade 🔥🎄

As the holiday season approaches, our Paparoa Fire Brigade volunteers want to wish everyone a safe and happy Christmas and New Year.

While many are enjoying time with whānau and friends, please know that our dedicated volunteers remain on call throughout the holidays, ready to respond 📟🔥🚒 whenever our community needs us — day or night.

Thank you for your continued support, and please take extra care on the roads and around fire risks over the festive period.