Dear Fire and Emergency New Zealand,

I am conducting a research study on the relationship between fire causes and surrounding environmental variables. I request the following information for my study:

Detailed records of residential fire incidents categorized by severity in New Zealand within the last 10 years (January 1, 2014, to May 31, 2024).

Data limited to non-intentional residential fires.
Information required includes:
Date and time of the incident.
Specific location (to enable analysis using Google Maps and Google Earth).
Cause of the fire.
Extent of damage (property loss and human casualties).
Location of the fire's origin within the property.

Thank you for your assistance.

Yours faithfully,

John You

Dear Official Information Requests,

Tēnā koe！

Thank you for your prompt acknowledgment of my information request dated 27 May 2024.

Regarding the release of information, I confirm that I do not require the names and contact details of your staff or volunteers.

I look forward to receiving the requested information within the stipulated timeframe.

Nāku noa, nā

John You

Dear Official Information Requests,

Tēnā koe,

Thank you for your prompt acknowledgment of my information request dated 27 May 2024.

Due to the project timeline requirements, to expedite the process, I am now requesting a reduced scope of data. Please provide data on residential fires (non-deliberate) that occurred within New Zealand from 1 June 2023 to 31 May 2024. The requested variables include:

Fire date and time
Specific fire address
Point of origin
Cause of the fire
Fire-related losses
Casualties

Additionally, I confirm that I do not require the names and contact details of your staff or volunteers.

I look forward to receiving the requested information within the stipulated timeframe.

Nāku noa, nā

John You

Dear Official Information Requests,

Kia ora,

Thank you for your response and for acknowledging my refined request.

I understand the privacy concerns related to providing specific addresses of residential fire incidents. However, for the purposes of my research, having the specific address is crucial. The detailed analysis I intend to conduct requires information about the immediate surroundings of the fire location, such as driveways, trees, utility poles, and nearby structures, which cannot be accurately assessed with only the street name.

To address the privacy concerns, I am willing to sign a confidentiality agreement or any other necessary document to ensure that the information is handled with the utmost care and not disclosed inappropriately. I can also assure you that the data will be used strictly for research purposes and will be anonymized in any publications or presentations.

Please let me know if this arrangement is acceptable or if there are any other steps I can take to facilitate the provision of the specific addresses.

I look forward to your response.

Ngā mihi,

John You

Dear Official Information Requests,

Thank you for your email.

I understand that information provided through the FYI website will be publicly accessible. Given the nature of my research, I am willing to proceed with a confidentiality agreement. Please send the required information to my personal email address: [email address].

The purpose of my research is to analyze the relationship between certain environmental factors and the occurrence of fires. This research aims to identify potential risks and improve fire prevention strategies, which could be beneficial for public safety and urban planning.

I appreciate your assistance and look forward to your response.

Yours sincerely,

John You