Fires

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Fires in Urban Areas

Fire Permits

When a fire ban is imposed for rural fires the ban generally includes urban areas. If there are no restrictions you can burn rubbish, preferably in a fireplace, barbecue or incinerator.  The fire must be controlled and smoke, ash and odour must not cause a nuisance to neighbours.

What can you burn?

It is recommended that only small quantities of dry garden refuse and household paper, etc should be burned.  If we are called to a property because of a smoke nuisance a charge may be made and the fire will be put out, other legal action may be considered. 

What shouldn’t you burn?

Freshly cut grass, hedging, trees, etc should not be burned because of the large amount of smoke they create. Products such as plastic, tins, treated timber and car tyres that contain noxious elements and/or create offensive smells should also not be burned.

What to do when lighting a fire

• Keep the fire small, feed it from another pile if need be.
• Make sure a hose, connected to a pressurised water supply, or a knapsack sprayer is available immediately next to the fire.
• The fire must be supervised at all times. If the NZFS attend the fire and it is unsupervised they will extinguish the fire.
• Light the fire early in the morning and extinguish the fire by night fall.
• Consult with your neighbour before lighting the fire because resulting smoke may aggravate medical conditions and/or annoy your neighbour.
• Make sure the fire does not cause a nuisance to nearby residents or property from smoke, odour, ash or toxic fumes. Causing a nuisance to neighbours is an offence under council bylaws.
• If weather conditions change and the fire becomes a nuisance to neighbours, it must be extinguished.
• Ensure the fire is at least 3m from the property boundary, and at least 10m from any part of a house or anything that can catch on fire or explode.
• Keep grass surrounding the fire area mown or grazed, and take precautions to avoid the fire spreading to other vegetation
• Burn small amounts - large objects will block the air flow into incinerators. Keep the volume of material down to less than one 1m^³.
• Dry any materials before burningReturn to top

 

Tips for successful incinerator use

 

• Clean out the incinerator before you start burning.
• Keep all passages open - air is needed for burning.
• Use a lid or grate to partially cover the top of the incinerator. This will restrict sparks and flying ash from leaving the incinerator, and will help control the rate of burning.
• Make sure the fire is fully extinguished before sunset.

Is there an alternative to lighting a fire?

Yes! You could compost (which is good for your garden), recycle, use commercial garden waste removal or take waste to the transfer station. Not only is this more environmentally friendly, it is also healthier, safer and cleaner - the gases and smoke from fires can cause respiratory disease, eye irritations, asthma attacks, and reduced immunity, ash and soot soils property and fires can get out of hand!

What should I do if my neighbour’s fire is causing a nuisance?

In most cases, talking to your neighbour and asking them to put the fire out until conditions are more suitable (e.g. when the breeze does not blow smoke in your direction) will solve the problem.

If your neighbour’s fire is causing you concern, call us on 06-759 6060. A staff member will investigate as soon as possible. While it is likely the fire will be out by the time of the visit, discussion with your neighbour will hopefully prevent a re-occurrence of the problem.Return to top