Wellington - Fire and Emergency

05/06/2026

Tomorrow, between 12pm and 1pm, members of the New Zealand Professional Firefighters Union will be stopping work for one hour.

We will continue to answer 111 fire calls. Volunteer stations in the affected cities and towns will respond, as they regularly do when there are multiple emergencies.

If you are at home, do not leave cooking unattended. Make sure you have working smoke alarms in every bedroom, hallway, and living area.

If there is a fire, get out, stay out, and call 111.

If you are at work, know your building evacuation plan. If there is a fire or the fire alarm sounds, exit the building, assemble at your safe meeting place and call 111.

If you are on a job site that uses spark or heat generating tools, we ask you to refrain from using these tools during this hour.

It is important to acknowledge that this strike action will not affect the parts of the country served by our volunteers.

If you are unsure whether your area is affected, please visit https://shorturl.at/thoU5

04/06/2026

Tomorrow, between 12pm and 1pm, members of the New Zealand Professional Firefighters Union will be stopping work for one hour.

We will continue to answer 111 fire calls. Volunteer stations in the affected cities and towns will respond, as they regularly do when there are multiple emergencies.

If you are at home, do not leave cooking unattended. Make sure you have working smoke alarms in every bedroom, hallway, and living area.

If there is a fire, get out, stay out, and call 111.

If you are at work, know your building evacuation plan. If there is a fire or the fire alarm sounds, exit the building, assemble at your safe meeting place and call 111.

If you are on a job site that uses spark or heat generating tools, we ask you to refrain from using these tools during this hour.

It is important to acknowledge that this strike action will not affect the parts of the country served by our volunteers.

If you are unsure whether your area is affected, please visit https://shorturl.at/thoU5

01/06/2026

22/05/2026

⚠️ Burn off advisory ⚠️

Fire and Emergency New Zealand would like to advise there’ll be three controlled burn offs of forestry slash piles on Collins Ave over the next few days. The first burn will be lit around 8.30am Saturday 23 May.

Wellington is currently in an open fire season.

We are advised the burns will be closely supervised, and all appropriate safety precautions taken. Weather conditions and fire risk will be monitored throughout the activity.

There will be visible smoke from the fires. If you're property is impacted by smoke we recommend closing windows and doors.

If conditions become unsuitable, the burn will be extinguished or postponed.

We are notifying residents and the wider public to reduce unnecessary concern and minimise the number of 111 calls..

03/05/2026

Today is international Firefighters day.

Check out the thoughts of some tamariki from our district in the Otaki Volunteer Fire Brigade's area!

20/04/2026

🌧️⚠️🚨HEAVY RAIN WARNING UPDATE - METSERVICE DOWNGRADED TO ORANGE 🌧️⚠️🚨

Update: 10:26am, Tuesday 21 April

💧The Red Heavy Rain Warning has been downgraded to orange. The orange warning remains in place for Wellington (excluding Porirua and Kāpiti) until 6pm this evening, and Wairarapa until 9pm.

💨 A Strong Wind Watch remains in place for Wellington until 9pm this evening. Continue to check MetService for weather updates: https://www.metservice.com/warnings/home

🚨Those people who left their homes in low-lying and flood prone areas yesterday may proceed home today with caution, unless you’re in the Wairarapa, where we still advise caution until the orange warning lifts due to the high river levels.

🏠If you are returning home, please remain vigilant and aware of your surroundings. Be prepared for the situation to change rapidly, and have a grab bag ready to go in case you need to leave in a hurry. If you see a dangerous situation developing, do not wait for an official warning, take immediate action. Call 111 if you need urgent assistance.

🚸Some schools are closed today: check in with your school or early childhood center. Many council facilities are closed today, please check your local council's website for further details.

🚌 Public transport: Harbour ferries cancelled today. Please check the Metlink website for the latest travel information.

⛔Road closures:

🚧 The Remutaka Hill (State Highway 2 Kaitoke to Featherston) is closed due to a washout causing a bridge to be unstable. The Wairarapa trainline is operating for those needing to commute between Wairarapa and Wellington. Check the Metlink website for details.


🚧 SH 53 Waihenga Bridge (Featherston to Martinborough) is closed.

Check NZTA for highway information and your local council for local road closures.

⚡Some houses experienced power outages overnight. Wellington Electricity are working to restore as soon as possible 👉www.welectricity.co.nz/outages

Safety information:

✅Stay indoors if your home is safe; avoid travel unless essential.

✅ Keep pets inside and livestock on higher ground.

✅ Clear drains and gutters if safe to do so.

✅ Check on neighbours who may need help.

✅ Move to higher ground if water levels rise.

✅ Ground saturation from heavy rain increases the risk of slips.

Watch for signs of slips or land movement:

- Small slips, rock falls, or subsidence at the base of slopes
- Sticking doors or windows
- Gaps around frames
- Movement or tilting of decks, steps, or verandas
- New cracks or bulges in land, roads, or walls
- Tilting trees, fences, or retaining walls
- Water flowing from slopes

Continue to follow updates from local councils and comply with any evacuation instructions.

More information on what to do during a flood is available at: www.wremo.nz/hazards/floods

20/04/2026

Please see below for an important post from WREMO for the Wairarapa.

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1E5HhZDSFg/

An EMA has been issued for the Wairarapa due to the expected rain overnight. You may receive this even if you don't live in the Wairarapa. The message content is below. If you live in the Wairarapa and want more information, go to www.mstn.govt.nz, www.swdc.govt.nz, or www.cdc.govt.nz

CIVIL DEFENCE SEVERE WEATHER AND FLOOD WARNING: Wairarapa

Heavy rain is causing rivers and streams to rise rapidly overnight.
If you live in low lying areas, coastal settlements, or areas prone to flooding, take extra precautions and be prepared to evacuate quickly if you see signs of potential flooding.

- Consider evacuating now.
- If you see rising flood water evacuate immediately to higher ground. DO NOT WAIT for an official warning.
- If you need to evacuate, seek shelter with friends and family if you can. Take pets and essential items.
- Call 111 if your life or property is at risk. Emergency services could be delayed.

20/04/2026

⚠️ State of emergency declared for the Wellington region ⚠️
Here’s what you need to know:
📞 If life or safety is at risk, call 111
🌧️ Metservice have upgraded the warning to a Red Heavy Rain watch in Wellington excluding Porirua.
💧 Residents in low-lying, flood-prone, or landslip-prone areas - especially those who have experienced flooding before - to consider relocating for the next 24 hours.
❌ DO NOT enter floodwaters. DO NOT drive through floodwaters.
⚡If flooding has entered your home, switch off and unplug appliances.

🚨 REGIONAL STATE OF EMERGENCY DECLARED

A State of Emergency has been declared for Wellington City and the surround region following severe weather. This allows emergency services to respond quickly and keep people safe.

What you need to do now:
⚠️ Move away from low-lying or flood-prone areas for the next 24 hours
❌ Stay off the roads unless absolutely necessary
✔️ Follow instructions from emergency services
🏠 Stay home if it is safe and avoid floodwaters or damaged areas
🌊 Never walk, swim or drive through floodwater
⬆️ Evacuate immediately to higher ground if water rises
⏱️ Don’t wait for an official alert if you feel unsafe
💡 Secure loose items and prepare for possible power outages
🤝 Check on neighbours, whānau and anyone who may need extra support

If you need help:
📞 Call 04 499 4444, for welfare support.
🚨 In an emergency, call 111

An Emergency Assistance Centre has been established in the Wellington City Mission in Oxford Terrace to support people who have been evacuated from their homes.

To report weather-related issues:
Call 04 499 4444, email [email protected], use the FixIt App, or fill out our webform: https://services.wellington.govt.nz/report/

We will continue to provide updates here and through official channels. Please share this information to help others stay safe.

20/04/2026

Our crews across the Wellington region have had a busy few days with extreme rainfall and flooding.

As the wet weather is set to persist and our crews continue to respond to callouts, we ask:
📞 When life or safety is at risk, people should call 111 immediately.
🚗 Stay out of floodwaters, DO NOT drive through floodwaters, as there can be hidden obstacles.
💧 If flooding enters your home turn off and unplug appliances.

We want to extend our thanks and appreciation to our career and volunteer staff for your response and support, many of you responding to emergencies in your communities while also dealing with the impact to your own homes, property and whānau.

We also want to thank the New Zealand Professional Firefighters Union for calling off their planned strike at short notice to continue responding to our communities in need.

As this weather continues, we urge people to stay informed, follow the advice from Wellington Emergency Management and keep yourselves safe.

📸: Silverstream Volunteer Fire Brigade Stokes Valley Volunteer Fire Brigade