Source: Radio New Zealand
Tongariro on Saturday 8 November 2025, a few hours after the fire broke out. Kristina Montgomerie / @kristinamonts
Police initially treated the wildfire that burnt through more than 3000 hectares of Tongariro National Park in November as suspicious.
The vegetation fire began alongside State Highway 47 within the national park about 3.30pm on 8 November.
Fire and Emergency (FENZ) received the first 111 call at 3.10pm resulting in a large scale multi-agency Emergency Services response.
An investigation summary released under the Official Information Act said police responded to reports of a vehicle being pushed with a missing rear wheel.
“Initial reports to police described a vehicle near the fire’s point of origin being pushed or moved by multiple people and missing a rear wheel,” the summary written by Ruapehu detective Jono Finch said.
“This behaviour, combined with the later discovery of matches and alcohol containers inside the same vehicle, led police to initially consider the fire as potentially suspicious.”
The Operation Tongariro National Park Closing Summary said police located a Blue Nissan Terrano abandoned down a concealed farm accessway approximately 200-300 metres from the ignition point.
“The vehicle was in poor mechanical condition and was missing its left-rear wheel … [and] in a dangerous state and unsafe to operate.
“Recovered components-including brake drums, springs, and metal fragments-were consistent with a catastrophic mechanical failure, including loss of the left-rear wheel.”
A FENZ investigation concluded the wheel nuts had worked loose, causing the wheel to detach while the vehicle was in motion.
Police interviews confirmed that the left-rear wheel detached while the Nissan Terrano was being driven on SH47.
“After losing the wheel, the vehicle continued moving and was dragged on exposed metal components.
“The vehicle occupants confirmed proximity between the wheel detachment and the later fire location. They also described sparks or scraping as the vehicle travelled without a wheel.”
Witnesses who discovered the fire said they saw a tussock fire approximately 50 metres from where the vehicle had been seen moments earlier.
Additionally, police analysis of telecommunications data “did not identify any criminal communication, nor any evidence contradicting the accidental-ignition theory”.
The FENZ investigation concluded that the fire began when the vehicle’s left-rear wheel detached and the undercarriage dragged across the road surface, generating high-temperature sparks.
“These sparks ignited dry tussock vegetation and accumulated roadside debris,” the investigation summary said.
FENZ eliminated all other potential ignition sources, including powerlines, electrical fences, campfires, lightning, cutting/grinding tools, and accelerants.
FENZ classified the fire as “accidental”.
The combined police and FENZ view or “Final Cause Assessment” agreed.
“After integrating the police and FENZ investigations, the agreed cause of the fire is accidental ignition resulting from mechanical failure.
“There is no evidence of deliberate ignition or criminal intent.”
The investigation summary acknowledged the fire had caused significant cultural, environmental, and spiritual harm to Ngāti Hikairo ki Tongariro, who were the mana whenua and kaitiaki of the affected area.
In response, Ngāti Hikairo ki Tongariro had placed two rāhui:
- A short-term rāhui to allow the land and mauri to settle and to support Fire and Emergency and DOC in immediate safety work.
- A 10-year restorative rāhui (Rāhui Maunga Ora) to protect the whenua, guide long-term regeneration, and prevent invasive species from overtaking the recovering landscape.
The summary said iwi liaison sergeant Lane Demch would meet with iwi to advise them of the findings and the matter was to be filed with no further police action required.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand