Volunteer firefighters say years of delays in local planning for fire and flooding risks are getting in the way of equipping and training them.
Fire and Emergency has had five years to get the plans and local committees in place - and must do so by law - but 90 percent of the population is not covered.
The government says it is surprisingly slow but heading the right way.
Phil Pennington reports.
RNZ asked FENZ to provide a copy of a local plan. It told RNZ on Tuesday evening it would on Wednesday. It did not do this.
