Permits needed for all fires as restricted season starts in Wellington region

Thursday, 13 February 2020

Fire risk manager Darrin Woods discusses the upcoming fire risks in Christchurch’s Port Hills.

People lighting fires in the Wellington region will soon need a permit as dry conditions see the start of a restricted fire season.

The start of the season means the entire North Island is now in either a prohibited or restricted fire season.

Fire and Emergency NZ said the season will start at 8am on Friday and include the Kāpiti Coast, Porirua, Wellington City and Hutt Valley.

Fire fighters put out a blaze on a roadside in Masterton this month, started by a spark from a digger.

Principal rural fire officer Craig Cottrill said the current hot and dry conditions meant there was an increased risk of fire.

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He said people needing to light a fire should go to checkitsalright.nz to find out whether they needed a permit, and apply for one. The permit would require people to meet specific conditions to manage their fire safely.

Cottrill said in the current conditions just a single spark could trigger a wildfire.

'Use any machinery that could spark such as lawnmowers, welding, or even a plough, in the morning or evenings - during the cooler parts of the day. Make sure any fires or historic burn sites from the past two months are fully extinguished.'