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A total fire ban has been called for for central Otago, and northern residents are being warned of near-extreme levels of fire danger.
Dry summer conditions mean there are fire restrictions or bans in Northland, Auckland, and the central North Island.
Photo: RNZ / Liz Garton
Outside of the Central Otago fire ban area, fires are still restricted in the rest of the region, which means permits are needed to start fires outside.
Chief Rural Fire Officer Mark Mawhinney said there were a couple of grass fires recently that spread quickly and could have easily got out of control.
He said it was a clear sign of how dangerous conditions are today.
Northland: All Fire Permits Suspended As High Winds Blow
In Northland, Fire and Emergency have warned Northlanders to be especially wary of fire hazards, as conditions are dry and danger is approaching extreme levels throughout the region.
Strong winds caused by Tropical Cyclone Yasa were expected to pass through the area Sunday through Tuesday, increasing the risk of wildfires.
Chief Rural Fire Officer Myles Taylor said all fire permits were suspended and asked everyone in Northland not to start any fires.
“The possibilities of [fire] The exhaust is extremely high due to these winds, and once it escapes it will be very difficult to stop it.
“My advice would be: please don’t burn anything until further notice, and we’ll let the public know when it’s safe to do so again.”
Additional resources had been made available and helicopter crews were on standby to easily respond to any possible blast.
Taylor asked that the burned sites of any recently lit fires be checked to make sure they were completely out, so the wind wouldn’t relight them.
“Dig them up, pour water on them and check with the back of your hand that there is no heat. Let’s do our part to stop a devastating Northland wildfire.”
Starting at 8 a.m. As of Friday December 18, mainland Auckland is in a restricted fire season.
⛔️All islands in the Hauraki Gulf are in a no-fire season, which means no outdoor fires are allowed on the islands. This total fire ban has been in effect since Monday, December 14. pic.twitter.com/qeY4bzpEtW
– Fire and Emergency New Zealand (@FireEmergencyNZ) December 17, 2020
Dry conditions in Auckland, Central North Island, Canterbury
As of today, there are fire restrictions in the mainland Auckland area, and all outdoor fires are prohibited on the Hauraki Gulf Islands. Restrictions were imposed on the ‘Pumicelands’ area of Taupō, Rotorua and Tauranga on Wednesday.
A ban on fireworks at Canterbury locations was announced Wednesday, following a major fire in Port Hills that threatened homes before being controlled Saturday.
That fire followed a series of vegetation fires in Port Hills earlier in the month, which FENZ said started under suspicious circumstances.
A major fire ripped through the hills in 2017, causing millions of dollars in damage.
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