Total fire ban for district

A prohinited fire season for the Manawatu District will be declared at midnight on Saturday, February 9, as rural fire authorities in the southern North Island react to the hazardous conditions.

Principal Rural Fire Officer, Tony Groome, said the declaration would be collectively made with the Palmerston North and Horowhenua Districts, as well as the Department of Conservation.

The Wanganui, Ruapehu and Rangitikei Districts declared prohibited seasons two weeks ago.

Mr Groome said the lighting of all fires in the open was now banned, with the exception of barbecues in properly constructed containers and fuelled with gas.

“Continuing dry and windy conditions have raised concerns about the fire danger in the region, with many people describing it as the worst situation they have experienced. And farmers are already talking about how dry it is compared to previous years.”

The ban would overtake a restricted fire season that had been in force since December 16.

Mr Groome said a number of vegetation fires were reported in the district last week, with one significant blaze taking members of the Apiti, Kimbolton and Rangiwahia Volunteer Fire Brigades, and the Palmerston North Rural Fire Force, nine hours to extinguish. A Fonterra water tanker was also called.

He urged people to be over-cautious when discarding cigarette butts and to be extra careful with hot exhausts near long grass, and if they did spot smoke and fire and were concerned, to immediately call 111.

The district’s four indicator stations at Palmerston North Airport, Raumai, Tapuae and Waitarere Forest continue to rate the scrub fire danger as extreme.

Mr Groome said no permits would be issued for fires in the open and residents needed to be aware that if anyone lit a fire during a prohibited season they could be charged the full costs of extinguishing the blaze.