Media Release

3 December 2010

No permit? No fire

Aucklanders wanting to light an open-air fire in any rural area will need to obtain a permit from the Auckland Council, this includes the Waitakere Rural Fire District.

Principal Rural Fire Officer for Auckland, Bryan Cartelle, says, “there is a restricted fire season introduced each year on 1 December. That restriction will remain in place until fire danger levels have decreased and it’s safe to allow some areas to return to being open fire season”.

People are being urged to take a common sense approach and ensure that if you are lighting a fire, you need a permit. Those living within 1km of a Department of Conservation reserve must apply for a permit from the Department of Conservation.

Mr Cartelle adds, “the warm, dry weather we have been experiencing has raised fire danger levels across Auckland. We’re advising people to take precautions when lighting fires to ensure it doesn’t spread, cause damage, become a nuisance to others or contain illegal materials such as tyres, plastics, synthetic materials or treated timber.

“It’s important that fires are controlled and supervised at all times as the costs involved in putting out all fires may be passed on to the person responsible”.

Cultural cooking fires such as hangis and umus, barbecues, fires contained within incinerators fitted with a lid or spark arrestor and fires within small braziers or similar heating devices are the only exception to this.

Neighbouring fire authorities are also introducing restricted fire seasons with Waikato District moving to restricted on 15 December.

ENDS

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