Fire and Emergency New Zealand

A single, unified fire services organisation for New Zealand’s rural, urban, paid and volunteer fire fighters came into effect on 1 July 2017. Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ) is an amalgamation of more than 40 rural fire authorities, including the former Whanganui Rural Fire Authority, along with the New Zealand Fire Service, the National Fire Authority and rural fire districts.

Councils no longer have responsibility for fire control or the power to collect funding for rural fire, although they will retain civil defence responsibilities.

The provision of services and fire response within the Whanganui community will remain unchanged, but the former Whanganui Rural Fire Authority – now Whanganui Fire and Emergency New Zealand – is no longer Council-funded or managed. Rural fire personnel and assets, including vehicles, have transferred to FENZ.

The Fire and Emergency New Zealand Bill 2017 repeals the two Acts governing fire services, the Fire Service Act 1975 and the Forest and Rural Fires Act 1977. This Bill marks the most significant change to New Zealand’s fire legislation in 70 years, with full integration expected to take four years