Source: Fire and Emergency New Zealand
Further fire restrictions will be put in place for parts of the Wairarapa on Friday.
The Central Coast and Northern Coast zones will enter a restricted fire season from 8am, Friday 6 November, until further notice.
This follows the Southern Coast zone going into a restricted season on Monday.
A restricted fire season means anyone who wants to light an open-air fire will need to obtain a permit, which you can apply for at www.checkitsalright.nz.
Wellington District Community Risk Manager Phil Soal says the Wairarapa is rapidly drying out.
“We have warm weather forecast, with temperatures set to soar over the next week,” he says.
“This is increasing the fire risk and the potential for fires to get out of control.
“Putting in a restricted fire season helps us reduce the risk of unwanted fires.”
Phil Soal says Wairarapa has seven fire permitting zones. Three will now be in restricted (Southern Coast in addition to these two), while four (Inland Central, Inland Northern, South Wairarapa and Western Ranges) remain open, but this may change soon.
“People might see someone burning something not far away but in a different zone and think it’s ok to light fires in their area too, when it’s not,” he says.
“Go to checkitsalright.nz and enter your address to find out what fire season you are in, and if you are allowed to light an open-air fire, what conditions you must meet to light one.”
The attached map is indicative of the area covered by the Central Coast and Northern Coast zones, but people should go to checkitsalright.nz and enter their address to check what fire season they are in.
