A total fire ban has been put in place across North Canterbury a month earlier than last year, as dry and hot conditions push the fire risk to extreme levels.
Fire and Emergency Deputy Fire Officer, Dale Wilhelm, told 1 NEWS it comes as a result of no rain over the past month.
“If a fire gets started its going to grow really fast, be difficult to put out and potentially take days to extinguish,” he said.
Fire and Emergency NZ have crews on standby, and can call on extra resources if needed – including helicopter companies.
NIWA meteorologist, Maria Augutis, said Canterbury had only seen 7 per cent of the average monthly rainfall as at the 25th January.
The tinder-dry conditions are of concern to farmers too.
In a statement, North Canterbury Federated Farmers told 1 NEWS it’s encouraging farmers to use common sense, particularly when using farm machinery that could create heat or sparks on hot days.
Canterbury isn’t the only region feeling the heat – Northland, Coromandel, Gisborne, parts of Marlborough and Otago are also under a total fire ban.
As of Tuesday, Auckland and northern Waikato will be in a prohibited season too.
This means all open air fires will be banned – but gas operated appliances, barbeques, wood-fire pizza ovens and cultural cookers less than two metres in size are allowed.
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