NEW ZEALAND — With El Nio forecast to bring drier, windier conditions and elevated fire danger across many parts of New Zealand this summer, maintaining a strong level of readiness will be particularly important. A new survey shows the forestry sector maintains New Zealand’s largest private landowner investment in wildfire preparedness and firefighting capability, with forest owners spending an average of $8.1 million on fire protection annually. The investment extends beyond emergency response, covering training, specialist equipment, vehicles, prevention activities and insurance. …New Zealand Forest Owners Association and New Zealand Farm Forestry Association Fire Committee Chair Sean McBride says the study demonstrates the significant investment forest owners make in capability and equipment to ensure wildfires can be detected and contained quickly year-on-year. …The survey found that the most damaging fires recorded by forest owners start outside forest boundaries, often spreading from grass or scrub into plantations.