Drone footage by Fire and Emergency NZ (FENZ) has revealed large tracts of Tongariro National Park blackened with ash from a 3,000-hectare wildfire that broke out over the weekend. Minister of Conservation Tama Potaka’s office said part of the National Park is open, but the Tongariro Alpine Crossing, Tongariro Northern Circuit, Tama Lakes and walks […]
About the author
Justin Sprecher
Wilderness newsletter editor and contributor Justin Sprecher is a tramper, thru-hiker and trail runner with a passion for wild backcountry. He has been writing and photographing for outdoor publications for more than a decade and holds a degree in film studies and communications from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. His writing has featured in publications in New Zealand and North America and his films have screened at festivals worldwide.
New tramping scholarship for aspiring writers and photojournalists announced
Trending Now
Apply for the Shaun Barnett Memorial Scholarship
DOC’s best huts
Harris Saddle and Routeburn Falls Hut, Mount Aspiring National Park
Upgrading to ultralight without replacing everything
Walk1200km in 2026
Subscribe!
Each issue of Wilderness celebrates Aotearoa’s great outdoors — written and photographed with care, not algorithms.Subscribe and help keep our wild stories alive.
