Irrigation as Fire Defence.
Together with Fire and Emergency New Zealand and supporting the Bioeconomy Science Institute in its extreme wildfire research, Central Plains Water Limited (CPWL) is strengthening regional fire resilience, providing dependable water for firefighters and contributing to a deeper understanding of wildfire risk.
Strengthening Community Bonds.
Our community partnerships turn irrigation infrastructure into safety infrastructure. By fitting 20 firefighting turnouts for Fire and Emergency crews and supporting controlled burn trials on a shareholder’s farm, we’ve built shared capability and improved regional readiness.
Wildfire Resilience.
Recent fires at Lewis Pass, Bridge Hill, West Melton, Darfield, Pound Road, Kirwee, Burnham and the Port Hills have exposed our regions vulnerabilities. Warmer, drier summers and strong winds intensify fire behaviour, turning small ignitions into fast-moving, large-scale events.
Turning Irrigation into Fire Defence.
Water reliability is key for effective rural firefighting, and for public safety. By 2018, traditional storage ponds and open races were increasingly unreliable. Water that was available one week could be dry the next, leaving crews without dependable refill points.
Under a formal agreement with Fire and Emergency, CPWL fitted 20 scheme turnouts with approved firefighting valves. These allow appliances to connect directly to the pressurised network — transforming it into an on-demand water supply.
The result: fewer refill delays, improved crew safety and stronger strategic preparedness.
CPWL’s proactive approach supports Fire and Emergency to respond to increasingly severe fires, adding another layer of resilience to our infrastructure.
“A reliable water supply is critical to effective firefighting — and it keeps our crews safer every time they’re on the line.”
— John Chambers, Chief Fire Officer, Darfield Volunteer Fire Brigade.
Understanding Fire to Build Resilience.
In March 2025, the Bioeconomy Science Institute’s Fire and Atmospheric Sciences Team led controlled burns on crop stubble at shareholders G D Gillanders and Sons’ farm under strict safety protocols agreed with Fire and Emergency New Zealand. CPWL supplied firefighting water.
When the burns commenced, fire advanced rapidly across the stubble, driven by low moisture and prevailing winds. The intense heat and sustained roar of the flames brought into sharp focus the conditions firefighters face.
Researchers recorded fuel conditions, flame dynamics and wind interactions throughout each trial. Three University of Canterbury drones flew at multiple altitudes — guided by ground-based ‘hot boxes’ capturing fire-front progression, flame behaviour, air temperature and flow. Fire and Emergency maintained appliances on-site for immediate response, while the Bioeconomy Science Institute and University of Canterbury research teams deployed bespoke in-fire sensors, cameras and Doppler Wind LiDAR systems, to layer diverse data streams into a comprehensive dataset.
This information will feed into regional fire-prediction models and response planning, strengthening operational readiness and improving firefighter and public safety.
This collaborative effort brought together the Bioeconomy Science Institute, Fire and Emergency, the University of Canterbury, the US Forest Service and San José State University.
By contributing to fire research and response planning, we’re helping build regional readiness. Strong stakeholder relationships are key to our social licence to operate and help reduce climate-related disruption across the region.
“Farmers have strong knowledge of weather and controlled burns — this research helps Fire and Emergency build regional readiness.”
— Andrew Gillanders, Almond Bank Farm.
