North Otago's fire risk status was elevated to "high" yesterday after several fires throughout the district this week.
Waitaki rural fire chief Chris Raine, speaking from Hampden during a dampening down operation yesterday, said conditions were "cause for alarm".
"There has been no substantive rain in the province for a month.
"Things may look green but in reality much of that grass, especially on roadsides, is tinder dry," he said.
"It looks like we are in for a dry spring.
"The fact we are getting November-like conditions in September is cause for alarm," he said.
Mr Raine was with a five-strong fire crew near Hampden yesterday, continuing dampening down work, which began early on Tuesday in pine plantations.
The crew was likely to be there again today.
A fire investigator was also on-site yesterday, but Mr Raine said he suspected the fires had been caused accidentally.
Fire permits for burn-offs were still being issued, but he was emphasising the need for common sense to be used before any fires were started.
Southern Rural Fire Authority principal rural fire officer Mike Grant said yesterday those who had lit burn-offs in the Southland district recently should be "embarrassed" about their actions.
Rural fire staff and volunteers had attended several fires around Southland in the past few days which had got out of control because those lighting them had not planned for the seasonal winds.
"We have attended fires at Pukerau, Wreys Bush, Ohai, Garston, Otapiri and Orepuki that were all due to burning when it is windy or not being aware of predicted windy conditions," he said.
"It all comes down to poor planning and people should be embarrassed about lighting fires in the winds we have been having."
Most fires were preventable.
People should take note of the weather conditions and dryness of vegetation before they lit fires, he said.
"The next two to three months are generally the time when we see most of our out-of-control fires in the region and it all coincides with the seasonal winds."
Mr Grant advised people to keep a close eye on the weather and ensure there were three to four days of ideal conditions forecast to immediately follow their burn-off.
Fire risk
> Queenstown Lakes district: medium to moderate.
> Central Otago district: open burning season.
> Clutha district: no restrictions.
> North Otago: high.
