▁resulted ▁in ▁ 1 8 5 ▁death s , ▁w ides p read ▁destruction ▁of ▁buildings ▁and ▁significant ▁li que f action . ▁These ▁earth qu akes ▁are ▁re le asing ▁distributed ▁stress ▁in ▁the ▁Pacific ▁plate ▁from ▁the ▁on going ▁collision ▁with ▁the ▁Ind o - Austral ian ▁plate ▁to ▁the ▁west ▁and ▁north ▁of ▁the ▁city . ▁Vol can ic ▁activity ▁is ▁most ▁common ▁on ▁the ▁central ▁North ▁Island ▁Vol can ic ▁Pl ate au . ▁T sun am is ▁affect ing ▁New ▁Zealand ▁are ▁associated ▁with ▁the ▁Pacific ▁Ring ▁of ▁Fire . ▁ ▁Dr ought s ▁are ▁not ▁regular ▁and ▁occur ▁mainly ▁in ▁O tag o ▁and ▁the ▁Can ter bury ▁Pla ins ▁and ▁less ▁frequently ▁over ▁much ▁of ▁the ▁North ▁Island ▁between ▁January ▁and ▁April . ▁Forest ▁fires ▁were ▁rare ▁in ▁New ▁Zealand ▁before ▁the ▁arrival ▁of ▁humans . ▁Fire ▁b ans ▁exist ▁in ▁some ▁areas ▁in ▁summer . ▁ ▁Environment ▁and ▁e col ogy ▁ ▁New ▁Zealand ' s ▁ge ographic ▁isol ation ▁for ▁ 8 0 ▁million ▁years ▁and ▁island ▁bi oge ography ▁has ▁influenced ▁evolution ▁of ▁the ▁country ' s ▁species ▁of ▁animals , ▁fung i ▁and ▁plants . ▁Phys ical ▁isol ation ▁has ▁not ▁caused ▁bi ological ▁isol ation , ▁and ▁this ▁has ▁resulted ▁in ▁a ▁dynamic ▁evolution ary ▁e col ogy ▁with ▁examples ▁of ▁very ▁distinct ive ▁plants ▁and ▁animals ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁populations ▁of ▁w ides p read ▁species . ▁Ever gre ens ▁such ▁as ▁the ▁giant ▁ka uri ▁and ▁southern ▁be ech