Fire and Emergency has moved all of Otago to a restricted fire season as the region rapidly dries out with more hot weather forecast.
Photo: RNZ / Cosmo Kentish-Barnes
Any outdoor fires in Otago now need to be first approved by Fire and Emergency.
Rural principal fire officer Mark Mawhinney said despite rain being predicted over summer it won't be enough to keep up with drying conditions.
"Crews have been responding to an increased number of out of control fires in the Otago region and the long-term forecast for the Otago region is for continued warm weather.
"Always check the weather conditions to ensure there are no strong winds forecast," he said.
NIWA meteorologist Ben Noll said summer may be starting off cool but it won't stay that way.
He said it will be a tail of two islands with the lower South Island being hit with hot dry weather, and the North Island getting more heavy downpours.
"South and west of Christchurch including South Canterbury, Otago, Southland and the West Coast we are watching for periods of dry weather, which can lead to dryer than normal soils.
"While it might sound good for holidaymakers it's not good news for farmers and those in the agricultural business that dryness is something they will certainly want to monitor closely," Noll said.
The weather is being driven by a La Niña weather system which is sitting above the country in the Pacific Ocean.
Noll said it will bring more rain for the North Island.
"The North Island sits outside of the area of high pressure will be more likely to experience heavy rainfall like we have seen in Napier and north of Wellington this week which caused flooding.
"Yes there will be dry patches but when it rains it will pour which increases the likelihood of flooding," he said.
Auckland's principal rural fire officer Thomas Harre said despite that forecast, his region is also likely to move to a restricted fire season as well.
"We've had a very dry winter on top of what was a very dry summer previously, hopefully if we get the rain which is predicted it should be a mild fire season but if we don't get the rain then it will be not so good."
North Canterbury has hit with fires for the last few summers and would usually already be moving to a restricted season.
But rural principal fire officer Bruce Janes said the region is surprisingly green.
He said local fire crews would love a quiet summer.
"We would take a quiet summer with both hands!"
"What we saw with Pukaki and Ōhau and the two large fires in Otago with strong winds once the fires started away they went, up here as well we had 21 fires in 24 hours during the Pukaki fire."
Janes said recent fires have actually helped conditions.
"It's got rid of all the holdover burns, fires in pits that have been burning all winter or big heavy tree stumps where maybe a land clearing operation has happened, where shelter belts have been taken out so those hold over burns are a thing especially going into summer.
"In a funny way the big winds early on have helped us."
He said it doesn't take long for conditions to change and people need to check weather conditions and local restrictions before lighting a fire.
