Hero Dog Receives Award After Saving Lives From Raging Fire

A heroic dog who woke up her owners in time to save them from a raging fire received an award for her bravery.

Hebe, a Border Collie puppy, woke up around midnight on Tuesday, October 6. Then she alerted her owners to a wildfire drawing near their area in the New Zealand holiday resort of Lake Ohau.

Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ) wrote in a Facebook post that they made the heroic pup an honorary firefighter.

After Hebe alerted her owners, a siren warned everyone in the lakeside township in Mackenzie District.

Locals also rang their neighbors and knocked on doors to help get everyone out.

According to firefighters, Hebe’s actions caused a chain of events that led all residents and tourists of Lake Ohau to a safe evacuation.

No one died in the wildfires, which burned over 5,000 hectares and destroyed 48 buildings.

For her canine bravery efforts, FENZ presented Hebewith a certificate of recognition. The post mentioned that they consider her now an honorary firefighter.

FENZ said that they also recognized the quick actions of Hebe’s owners, Viv and Louis Smith-Campbell. They commended them for getting themselves and their neighbors out of the township.

The post from FENZ said that the village had a fire plan in place and utilized it when they raised the alarm. They said that it did not just save the lives of the residents in the area, but also the tourists who did not know about the fire plan.

On Friday morning, FENZ expected to use a 50m containment line for 95% of the perimeter by 6 p.m.

The other 5% is in places of steep terrain and now has a 10m line in the location. The containment line is placed to stop the fire spread out if it reignites.

An investigation into the reason behind the fire is underway.

Image Source: Fire and Emegency NZ  and Gary Kircher via Facebook.