A burn-off at the Otago Golf Club on Balmacewen Rd is being investigated by the Otago Regional Council after smoke was seen across the city yesterday.
Council compliance manager Martin King said it had received one complaint and a staff member had visited the site to investigate whether the fire breached council air plan rules.
Under the plan, backyard burning in residential areas is effectively banned, as the size of sections meant the set-back rules could not be met.
While the golf course was zoned rural, it also had to meet the plan rules of smoke not being offensive or objectionable beyond its boundary and ensure the burn-off was set back 100m from its boundary.
"This is a good reminder that people need to be very careful about burn-offs," Mr King said.
Golf club manager Craig Parata said the decision had been made to burn off dead trees because the forecast was for fine weather with northerly breezes.
However, the wind did not occur, which possibly caused the smoke to linger.
"We were trying to do the right thing," Mr Parata said.
Another burn-off on the hill behind the golf course probably added to the problem.
Mr King said the higher burn-off was within air-plan rules.
Air pollution levels in Dunedin were not unusual yesterday but reached a high 108 micrograms per cubic metre between 11am and noon.
