Fire bans are at their most extensive since records began 50 years ago.
A total ban is effectively in place across the North Island, while there are restrictions across much of the south.
Many local councils have also imposed bans on sprinklers and irrigation as river systems and water reservoirs get lower while the long Indian summer continues.
National Rural Fire Officer Murray Dudfield said total fire bans are in place south of Taupo, while north of Taupo a number of areas have restrictions in place but no fire permits are being issued. "You could basically say there is a total fire ban across all of the North Island."
Mr Dudfield said he could not recall a situation where total fire bans had been in place to this degree over the country and he is hopeful that the drought conditions will not get worse.
In the South Island, the land is so dry that only restricted fire permits are being issued in places where there is not a complete ban, although fires are still allowed in parts of the West Coast.
More and more councils have water restrictions in place and sprinklers cannot be used in much of the country, including Wellington, Hastings, New Plymouth, Waikato, parts of Nelson, Gore and the Buller District.
Matamata Piako District Council's water watch meter is now at critical with a ban on all non-essential watering in Matamata, Waharoa and Morrinsville.
Tasman Regional Council is trying to forestall a ban on irrigation, which is in place in some parts of Northland and Hawke's Bay, but the council says if there's no rain in the next two weeks, irrigation will be banned in Tasman.
Meanwhile, businesses in Southland have stopped taking water for irrigation and industrial use after river water levels dropped below the cut-off point for their resource consents. More rivers are expected to reach the cut-off point on Monday.
