The Ashburton Volunteer Fire Brigade was called out to an illegal rubbish fire in the early hours of Tuesday morning.
The blaze was reported by someone who noticed flames coming from the backyard of a Hampstead property.
Deputy fire chief Andy Rattray said while some people may want to burn rubbish to avoid having to pay dump fees, this was not allowed in Ashburton.
"We asked them not to do it again, obviously, because it’s prohibited in the town boundary," Rattray said.
Firefighters extinguished the rubbish pile blaze, which measured about 2m by 2m.
Environment Canterbury air quality regulations dictate outdoor fires are prohibited on properties under 2ha.
The only exception is for outdoor cooking if the smoke is not offensive to anyone beyond the property boundary.
A resource consent is also needed to burn green waste.
