Former HBRC Chair Rex Graham has been battling his former council over ineffective control of harmful seasonal burning … specifically the burning of orchard waste.
Graham has supplied numerous photos over recent weeks to press his case.
HBRC either writes these off as fog or says they can’t find the sources. Basically, they’re saying Graham is blowing smoke.
So, is it innocent fog or harmful smoke?
Today a citizen stepped up to support Graham’s point, providing this video shot from top of Iona Road this (Friday) morning.
Says the video maker: “Taken this morning it clearly shows the speed and distance the pollution can travel in only a few minutes. I zoom out at the end (as far as my camera can) where you can see the extent of the drift. Although it may look like fog in a photo, the video clearly shows it is all smoke drift.”
Sure looks like burning to me.
The video maker commented: “The fire looks to be in the Longlands area. There are several fires still going out that way.”
It’s hard to fathom why HBRC is in such denial mode over these complaints.
[Editor’s hint: Videos are welcome tools to share your concerns about Bay issues!]
A HB Council passing the buck or blatantly lying? No, couldn’t be (insert false shock here)
I have chased down a couple of ugly fires lately to find they’re burning hives infected with American Foulbrood. They use plastic frames so it’s horrific pollution, but still the lesser of two evils.
Possibly HBRC staff need a conference to discover the differences between fog and smoke – I would suggest a likely venue for them as the Gold Coast of Australia where they could discuss such things between exploring the area over there – us ratepayers would be happy to cover this naturally – and they would come back knowing exactly how to tell the difference between fog and smoke – just like the rest of us already know!
Time to go to Specsavers – what a joke.
Just go to the lookout on Te Mata peak on a clear, still morning (or any high point overlooking the planes). If you then still believe its fog…..better resign.
Celebrating Matariki with umpteen bonfires of driftwood laden with salt & other rubbish on the foreshore. Wouldn’t of helped any either!
Just saying
Good one Dave. We have both seen how smoky Hawkes Bay is when looking at Hastings. Its smoke not fog. At 4pm in the afternoon its smoke.
‘His’ council? C’mon Tom, you’ve been a councillor there too haven’t ya?? Haha funny!!