Alan Thompson
Conservation house
18 Manners Street
Wellington 6011
fyi-request-32927-
doc.govt.nz
[email address]
Ref: OIAD-5866
17 December 2025
Tēnā koe Alan
Thank you for your request to the Department of Conservation (DOC), received on 19
November 2025, in which you asked for:
“Under the provisions of the Official Information Act can you please supply me with the
following information:
1. The Dept of Conservation expenditure on Fire Control for the FY2024/25.
2. The Dept of Conservation's fire suppression costs for attendance at fires which
originated on DOC land for the period FY2024/25.
3. The Dept of Conservation's fire suppression costs for attendance at fires that did not
originate on DOC land for the period FY2024/25.
4. A breakdown of the fire suppression costs that DOC recovered or intend to recover from
FENZ for the period FY2024/25.
5. The payment made to FENZ for the period 2024/25 as an annual contribution to fire
control costs on DOC lands.
6. The estimated Carbon loss from wildfires on Public Crown Land for 2024/25.”
We have considered your request under the Official Information Act 1982 (the OIA).
The nature of this request is noted as being consistent with previous requests you have made
annually for the last few years.
In providing our responses below, please note:
• We provide fire control services to Fire and Emergency NZ (FENZ), as agreed in the 2021
Operational Services Agreement between the organisations.
• Your request refers to both “DOC land” and “Public Crown Land”. The Department
manages public conservation land and national parks. The information supplied relates to
this land, referred together as Public Conservation Land (PCL).
• The figures have been calculated in the same manner as those provided for the 2023/24
financial year.
• The Department’s financial year runs from 1 July to 30 June, and we have rounded our
costs to the $1,000. Some figures wil not capture all costs for fires attended during the
2024/2025 financial year, as some of the costs are stil being processed.
Your questions and our responses are listed below:
1.
The Dept of Conservation expenditure on Fire Control for the FY2024/25.
Our total expenditure for fire control during the 2024/25 financial year (FY) was $3,977,393.
2.
The Dept of Conservation's fire suppression costs for attendance at fires which originated
on DOC land for the period FY2024/25.
Our total fire suppression costs for attendance at fires that originated on PCL during the
2024/2025 FY was $2,233,182. This includes FENZ attendance costs charged to the
Department. This figure is higher than 2023/24 season. In 2024/2025, there was a large fire
at Bridge Hil in the Canterbury area that originated on PCL contributing to the higher
suppression costs.
3.
The Dept of Conservation's fire suppression costs for attendance at fires that did not
originate on DOC land for the period FY2024/25.
Our total fire suppression costs for attendance at fires that did not originate on PCL during
the 2024/2025 FY was $47,577. This total excludes Departmental costs recovered or
intended to be recovered from FENZ.
4.
A breakdown of the fire suppression costs that DOC recovered or intend to recover from
FENZ for the period FY2024/25.
A breakdown of the fire suppression costs that the Department recovered or intends to
recover from FENZ for the 2024/2025 FY is outlined below:
• Personnel $ 74,581
• Equipment and vehicles $ 3,819
• Third party costs (consumables, travel, food) $ 1,600
Total = $ 80,000.
5.
The payment made to FENZ for the period 2024/25 as an annual contribution to fire control
costs on DOC lands.
We made a payment of $1,000,000 (excluding GST) to FENZ for the 2024/2025 FY as a
contribution for the non-fire suppression services they provide.
6.
The estimated Carbon loss from wildfires on Public Crown Land for 2024/25.
The Department does not calculate such information for all wildfires on PCL. For some
larger fires which impact PCL estimations for both above ground and below ground carbon-
loss have been done.
For fires that occurred in 2024/25, the Department has estimated that the fire response at
the Whangamarino wetland released 96,000-181,800 tonnes of greenhouse gasses back
into the atmosphere.
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You are entitled to seek an investigation and review of my decision by writing to an
Ombudsman as provided by section 28(3) of the OIA.
Please note that this letter (with your personal details removed) may be published on DOC’s
website.
If you would like to discuss this response with us, please contact Brent Swanson, Wildfire and
Field Skil s Manager, on 027 544 0175 or by email t
o [email address]
Nāku noa, nā
Alastair Johnstone
Director National Operations
Department of Conservation
Te Papa Atawhai
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