Mild weather conditions means that the Wairoa District Council is able to lift the Restricted Fire Season.

An Open Fire Season will be active from Thursday, 31st March. However, a full fire ban will be maintained on the district’s beaches.

The change in rules does not mean people can be careless, says Council’s rural fire officer Paul van Dorrestein.

“Just pay attention and be vigilant, nothing worse than a fire getting out of control and causing so much damage or even worse causing injury, when it could have all been avoided.”

“The main message we want the community to understand is to be aware of the conditions when lighting a fire and to take the necessary precautions to be safe.”

“We want people to take care. Fires can get out of control pretty easily and that is not a situation anyone wants to see,” says Mr van Dorrestein.

The lifting of the Restricted Fire Season does not apply to Department of Conservation land or in the Bay Forest Rural Fire Districts; in both those cases permits are always required.

For more information:
Paul van Dorrestein
Rural Fire Officer
Wairoa District Council
(06) 838 7309

Kitea Tipuna
Communications Strategist
Wairoa District Council
(06) 838 7309

31 October 2018

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