The Waitaki District Council assets committee has recommended the Urban Fire Prevention Bylaw 2009 be revised to align with different boundaries.
A review of the bylaw is not required until 2018, but one has been recommended because the urban fire district boundaries, as defined by the New Zealand Fire Service, differ from the boundaries in the 2009 bylaw.
The discrepancy has made it difficult to administer the bylaw in its current form, with an area of ''no-man's-land'' where fire permits cannot be issued by any agency, including the Rural Fire Authority.
The Waitaki District Council assets committee this week moved to revise the bylaw to align with the NZFS urban fire district boundaries and modify the rules governing the lighting of outdoor fires in urban areas.
It is likely Waitaki's urban fire boundaries will widen when brought into line with the NZFS boundaries.
The bylaw review will also provide an opportunity to address other issues such as open-air burning in urban areas, and whether the council continues to issue fire permits in urban areas.
