If there’s one silver lining from the devastating January 9 fire that started near Emerald Bay, it’s that a popular scenic track was left unscathed.

The fire burned 280ha of land within a 7.1km perimeter over four days, but the “really special track” at Diamond Lake was spared.

“Miraculously, Diamond Lake and The Rocky Summit Track were untouched,” Department of Conservation (DOC) operations manager Central Otago Nikki Holmes said. 

The fire started on DOC land near the lake at Emerald Bay and spread up the hill and across the road onto more DOC land and parts of Glendhu Station.

Most of the damage to DOC land appears to be to Hospital Flat and Glendhu Bluffs, Nikki said, but nearby Diamond Lake was spared.

Diamond Lake is heavily used by the public for short walks and rock climbing and it is popular with both residents and tourists. 

“It is… literally hand built, initially by Stuart Landsborough of Puzzling World fame, and later by DOC,” Nikki said. 

“It has immense importance to local people and visitors.”

The fire caused extensive damage to bush, wetlands and regenerative planting.

Related: ‘It will grow back but I’ll be 100 by then’: Emerald Bay fire impacts

“The greatest impact of this fire is likely the loss of mature lowland forest in a region where examples of this forest type are rare,” Nikki said. “These conservation areas give public access to a lowland forest ecosystem in a region dominated by beech forest or drylands/grasslands.”

Exact figures for the percentage of DOC land affected are still being assessed, Nikki said, adding that an investigation will be carried out by an ecologist once it’s safe to access the land.

The Glendhu Bluffs and Hospital Flat were extensively damaged but Diamond Lake track was spared. PHOTO: Supplied

The fire was ‘contained’ by Fire and Emergency New Zealand after four days but continues to be closely monitored. 280 hectares of land burned within a 7.1km perimeter, a mix of private, retired, and DOC land. Exact figures for the percentage of DOC land affected are still being investigated.

Glendhu Bluff Conservation Area:

The Glendhu Bluff Conservation Area, Diamond Lake Conservation Area and Hospital Flat Conservation Area collectively cover 237 ha located between the Motutapu and Matukituki Rivers, and Glendhu Bay (Lake Wānaka). Mt Aspiring Road passes through the land giving access for the public to recreational activities in the upper Matukituki valley, including Treble Cone skifield, and provides access to large farms.

The land was formed by glacial activity, and this origin shows in features like small lakes and wetlands, roche moutonee, steep hillsides and alluvial flats adjacent to the rivers. Diamond Lake is the largest of the small lakes.

The last detailed survey of the land designated to become conservation land was undertaken as part of the Glendhu Station tenure review process.

Fauna

DOC is not aware of any threatened native fauna in the fire area. The area provided habitat for bird species such as fantail/piwakawaka, grey warblers, bellbird/korimako, pipits and introduced species like sparrows, skylarks and blackbirds. The rocky areas combined with grassland and shrubland habitat likely provided habitat for common skink and gecko species.

Limited surveys of invertebrates have been undertaken but a range of native invertebrates would likely be present. Shrublands like this elsewhere support a variety of species including moths, beetles, spiders and worms.

Flora

Areas of diverse native bush were identified as being worth protection as conservation areas during tenure review of the former Glendhu Station.

The two main forested areas are around Glendhu Bluffs and the bluffs around Diamond Lake, above Hospital Flat.

These forests are predominantly kohuhu (Pittosporum tenuifolium), broadleaf (Griselinia littoralis) and wineberry (Aristotelia serrata). In the deeper gullies, some of these trees reached 10m high.

Other species present include marbleleaf (Carpodetus serratus), mahoe (Melicytus ramiflorus), and tree fuschsia (Fuchsia excorticata). Patches of mature kowhai (Kowhai microphylla) grow on bluff areas. Matai (Prumnopitys taxifolia) were known to grow within the broadleaf forest, as were the rare Olearia hectorii (tree daisy).

Understorey species known to be present include Coprosma spp., koromiko (Veronica salicifolia), cabbage trees (Cordyline australis), flax (Phormium cookianum) and some lancewoods (Pseudopanax crassifolius).