The charred remains of a powerline north of Kaikōura. Photo: MainPower
Craig Mackle admits it has been a weird feeling being the mayor-elect for this week's major weather events.
While Mackle was re-elected a third term as Kaikōura Mayor by a large majority, he is not due to be sworn in until Wednesday, 29 October, meaning he did not have the power to declare a civil defence emergency.
Severe wind and dry conditions led to multiple fires breaking out around the same time across the northern part of the Kaikōura district on Tuesday afternoon.
It was followed by severe wind on Thursday, with trees uprooted, power outages and State Highway 1 closed for long periods.
Smoke can be seen in the distance from the Kaikōura Civic Building on Tuesday afternoon. Photo: Kaikōura District Council
With no mayors sworn in, Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell stepped in on Wednesday and declared a local state of emergency for the Canterbury region.
''It does feel weird. Everyone is looking to you as though you are mayor, but you haven't been sworn in,'' Mackle said.
''It's something to think about going forward.
''They (emergency services) still get you in there for briefings and they do want your views, so you're not left on the shelf.''
On Friday morning, after the winds had died down, Mackle said he was at the Emergency Operations Centre feeding fire crews, before they headed back out to the front line.
Firefighters take a break in Kaikōura on Friday morning. Photo: Kaikōura District Council
''It is a lot calmer than was - there's just a bit of a breeze,'' he said.
''Fire crews are dampening down hot spots and we've got teams out there cutting down trees which have burned from the inside out.
''There's still a lot of clean up work to do and people to look after.''
FENZ reported at least 14 rural buildings, including five homes had been destroyed.
Around 20 people spent Tuesday night at a temporary evacuation centre at the Takahanga Marae, but there were no reports of fatalities or injuries.
By Friday morning traffic, was flowing through and the town remained open for business, so Mackle was optimistic of a busy Labour Weekend.
As fires broke out across the district on Tuesday evening, Mackle was stuck in Wellington.
He had been in Wellington since Sunday evening to attend the Mayors School for new and returning mayors, run by Local Government New Zealand.
He planned to fly home on Tuesday evening but flights were delayed due to the weather.
Trees are uprooted and powerlines down at Mt Lyford on the Inland Road. Photo: MainPower
After a sleepless night, Mackle finally boarded a plane to Blenheim at 6.30am the next day, before making the drive home - not knowing what to expect.
Further south, the effects of Thursday's weather was still being felt in Hanmer Springs, Culverden, Waiau and Cheviot.
Trees were uprooted, centre pivots turned over, while roads were closed and power outages in rural areas were expected to continue over the weekend.
But Mayor Marie Black said on Friday morning ''Hurunui is open for business''.
Wind and rain strikes near Hanmer Springs. Photo: MainPower
She said the Canterbury council chief executives had met on Wednesday, [22 October], and Hurunui chief executive Hamish Dobbie was ready swear Black in as mayor.
''I have the unique status of being re-elected unopposed, so he would have sworn me in to declare on behalf of the whole region.
''But Minister Mitchell made the call to declare himself and I'm happy he did.''
Black is due to be sworn in on Thursday, 30 October .
- LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air
