Severe weather event

27 January 2026

Our thoughts are first and foremost with the communities affected by the severe weather event that occurred on Wednesday here in Tairāwhiti, particularly those in the Matakāoa area. We also acknowledge our other impacted hāpori along State Highways 2 and 35 and the wonderful mahi being provided in support.

As an industry, our primary focus before, during, and following this event has been and continues to be the safety and wellbeing of our workers and local communities. Ahead of the weather event, we took swift and appropriate action by closing potentially affected forestry estates, adhering to all warnings and road closure notices.

In preparation and through the dedication of our hardworking contractors, forestry machinery located north of Tolaga Bay was made ready and available. This information was proactively communicated to Tairāwhiti Civil Defence as a resource to support response and recovery efforts, and we will continue to prioritise the deployment of our machinery and personnel where they can be of most assistance.

We are currently assessing damage and impacts across our estates. Early indications show that additional preventative actions to remove debris and water control work carried out in the months leading up to Christmas appear to have contributed to a significant decrease in initial pine debris mobilisation. We remain committed to continuing and expanding this mitigation work throughout the Tairāwhiti region.

Some outlets have reported that forestry slash was a major contributor to the devastation in Te Araroa and the wider Matakāoa area; however, damage in this area was predominantly caused by the mobilisation of dislodged native vegetation.

At this time, the focus of our members is firmly on assisting with the region’s recovery, ensuring our communities are safe, and continuing our collective work on preventative debris removal.  A key focus is helping to restore access and reconnecting whānau where we can be of assistance while also supporting our contractors to ensure continuity of work and working closely with our networks to ensure clarity around the resources, machinery, and skills we have available to support our region.

Eastland Wood Council