early plantings have become a problem in adjacent areas. The Ōhau Conservation Trust is working to keep the Lake Ōhau landscape in its natural state and eradicate wilding pines. Lake Ōhau fire 2020 A significant wildfire on Sunday 4 October 2020 destroyed 48 houses. The fire started in the vicinity of Freehold Creek and Parsons Creek and then moved in a south and west direction. It burnt through 5032 hectares (including 1900 hectares of Department of Conservation land) and destroyed many houses in the Lake Ohau Alpine Village. The spread of wilding pines, and high winds and a dry winter attributed to climate change set the scene for the fire. The Insurance Council of New Zealand processed around 200 claims totalling NZ$34.8 million, making it one of the most expensive fires in the country. Fire and Emergency NZ completed a report as to the causes of the fire in November 2021. They said that the fire was as a result of a "a crossarm failure on a power pole that was part of a section of lines crossing conservation land approximately 2.5 kilometres north-west of Lake Ōhau village". Waitaki Network, who are responsible for the power lines, believe that Fire and Emergency NZ are incorrect in their conclusions. Flooding 2022 In July 2022, Lake Ōhau was hit by an almost one in a 100 year storm which caused significant flooding. Access to the Lake Ōhau Alpine Village and Ōhau ski field was cut off when a bridge on the Lake Ōhau road was washed out. Despite the damage, power and telephone lines were still working. References External links Ski Ohau Pictures of Ōhau Lakes of Canterbury, New Zealand Glacial lakes Glaciology of New Zealand