Fire and Emergency New Zealand has declared a prohibited fire season in Otago’s Strath Taieri zone from 8am today.
A prohibited fire season means no open-air fires are allowed and all fire permits are suspended. Fireworks are also banned.
Fire and Emergency Otago district manager Phil Marsh said the Strath Taieri area — which includes the Taieri River, the Rock and Pillar Range and Middlemarch — had an abundance of grass and scrub and had hot dry summers.
The current dry conditions were expected to continue, and blustery westerly winds were forecast for the rest of summer and into autumn, he said.
That combination meant a very high fire risk.
"It only takes one spark to start a wildfire. The risk is far too high in these dry and windy conditions."
The Strath Taieri zone includes Te Papanui Conservation Park, home to a huge variety of native plants and animals.
"We are urging everybody to do their part to protect this area from wildfire," Mr Marsh said
"Along with the ban on fireworks, we ask people to be vigilant with other heat or spark-generating activities." — APL
