Fire and Emergency New Zealand is updating the fire seasons for Auckland.

From Monday 2 December it will declare a restricted season across greater Auckland and a prohibited fire season across all the islands of the Hauraki Gulf.

A prohibited season means a total fire ban, with any current fire permits for the area suspended from the date the prohibited season starts.

A restricted fire season means any open-air fires will need a permit.

Auckland Principal Rural Fire Officer Thomas Harre says at this time of year a fire can start from the smallest spark, especially in rural and semi-rural areas.

"Even if you meet the conditions for a permit or have one, we don’t want people lighting fires unless there’s little or no wind forecasted. It is really important to check the weather conditions if you’re planning on lighting a fire."

Fire and Emergency is also encouraging residents to create safety zones for their homes. They can do this by keeping their lawns mowed, cleaning their gutters and removing leaves and twigs. Homeowners can reduce risk by removing anything that could burn like mulch, and other potentially dried vegetation off their properties.

If you need to light an open-air fire in greater Auckland, go to checkitsalright.nz to see what types of fires you can light in your area.

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