A wrap of the biggest stories and best writing about the outdoors from New Zealand and around the world.

With the start of summer, fire restriction season is ramping up in regions across New Zealand. Earlier this week the Otago Daily Times reported that Fire and Emergency New Zealand issued a notice that a restricted fire season would be put in place for the Central and Upper Waitaki zones of the Otago District until further notice. A restricted fire season meant a permit was required to light a fire in open air.

Our Auckland is reporting that as of 1 December, the Hauraki Gulf Islands entered a prohibited fire season. This means a total ban on outdoor fires, and all previously granted fire permits are no longer valid.

To check if you can light a fire in your region, visit www.checkitsalright.nz.

North Face’s response waterproof jacket complaint goes viral 

After complaining on social media about her North Face jacket that soaked through during a New Zealand hike despite being “waterproof”, a Texas woman has teamed up with the brand for a marketing video.

Jennifer Jensen had purchased a waterproof rain jacket from North Face as heavy rain was predicted during her hike. Unfortunately, once in the rain, she realised her jacket wasn’t waterproof. She didn’t ask for a refund, instead asked the brand to “redesign this raincoat to make it waterproof and express deliver it up to the top of Hooker Valley Lake in New Zealand where I will be waiting”.

The video quickly went viral earning over 11.6 million views. To respond, North Face created a video showing a store worker grabbing a red jacket, getting in a helicopter and meeting Jensen to deliver the new, non-faulty jacket.

North Face earned over four million views and thousands of comments including one from a very happy Jensen, “You guys definitely came through for me. We’ll give the new jacket a shot on my next rainy day hike,” she said. Watch the video at the NZ Herald. 

Report highlights safety risks on Abel Tasman track

Ten sections of the iconic Abel Tasman walk are “highly susceptible” to landslides, with some areas expected to get four landslides a year in 20 years’ time.

A report commissioned by the Department of Conservation detailing the risk of landslides to the track was sparked by an increase in severe weather events in recent years. The report also found there were 14 bridges at risk of debris flow, a risk of rockfall at Anchorage Hut and a risk of a future landslide at Bark Bay Hut.

DOC’s operations director for northern South Island, Roy Grose, says the department will look to implement as many recommendations as it can. “It’s not just a case of ripping in there with a digger and opening up a new route that might be required,” Grose said. “You’ve got to put some thinking into if you’re gonna invest that sort of money to repair something or to re-route it, then it’s worth doing it properly”.

Grose said DOC was committed to preserving the track as it was huge for the local economy and important to future generations. Read the full story from One News.

Club volunteers clear tramping tracks

Volunteers have been busy spring cleaning tracks close to Whanganui in time for the prime summer tramping season. Last month 12 members of the Wanganui Tramping Club cleared the Waitahinga Trails.

Waitahinga, is the Whanganui District Council’s largest exotic and native reserve and is less than an hour from Whanganui. Birdlife includes whitehead, tūi, bellbird, grey warbler, fantail, titipounamu/rifleman, shining cuckoo and long-tail cuckoo.

A decade ago the club, in honour of two past members, planned, cut and signposted tracks, some short and others more fitness-oriented, to create a space close to Whanganui for the health and wellbeing of walkers, dogs on leads and runners. 

Trampers keen to tackle the 42km Matemateāonga Track will be pleased to hear that volunteers also spent 10 days clearing 26km of the overgrown track from Humphries Clearing to Puketotara Hut. Read the full story from Whanganui Chronicle.

21 of Sydney’s best summer walks

Heading to Sydney for the holidays? If you are The Urban List has put together a post of the 21 best walks to keep you moving while on holiday. 

Highlights include taking in a sunrise from the Glebe Foreshore Walk, a new walk in the Barangaroo Reserve, the cliffside coastal walk from Bondi to Bronte beaches and many more.