District needs substantial rain

SUBSTANTIAL rainfall is needed before any thoughts are given to the lifting of a total fire ban across the Manawatu District and neighbouring regions.


Principal Rural Fire Officer, Tony Groome, said the prohibited fire season, now entering its third week, was being regularly reviewed and showed that fire danger levels were still high.


“Some areas are starting to green up in the lighter fuels (grass),” he said, “but scrub, vegetation and heavy timber remains extremely dry and dangerous.”


He said the conditions were hazardous on Manawatu’s coastal belt and in the surrounding districts of Palmerston North, Rangitikei, Horowhenua, Wanganui and Ruapehu.


“We will need substantial rain across the district before we start looking at lifting the ban,” he said. “Some farmers are already feeding out silage and grass to their stock.”


A number of small fires had been reported and volunteer fire brigade crews were called to douse some illegal, unpermitted blazes on the beach between Tangimoana and Himatangi Beach.


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