Fires

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Fire Permits

Depending on the fire season, permits are required to light fires in rural areas. Restrictions may also apply to lighting fires in urban areas, beaches and reserves.

Fire seasons have been identified to control the number and type of fires at high risk times of the year. There are three fire seasons in the district:

Open
No fire permit is required from us to light a fire in the open air. A permit is required from the Department of Conservation (DOC) if the fire is within 1 km of DOC land (e.g. national parks, scenic reserves, state forests, etc).

Restricted
A council or DOC permit is required for all open air fires except for fires in an approved container, e.g. gas and fire barbecues, hangi, etc. Please note: areas controlled by DOC have a permanent restricted fire season.

Prohibited
No fires allowed

Current restrictions

Rural areas: Open (effective from 4 April 2008).
Urban areas: Open (effective from 2 April 2008).

Water restrictions

How to get a fire permit?

If your fire will be located within 1km of DOC controlled land, you need to contact DOC to see if you need a DOC fire permit. If your fire will be located outside of this area you require a permit from us. If in doubt please contact us.

You need to give us and DOC two days notice to conduct an inspection of the proposed fire site.

There is no cost to get a permit.Return to top

Could you be liable for the cost of suppressing a fire?

Yes. Our policy is to recover all fire costs where possible. The New Zealand Fire Service (NZFS) attends all fires reported by the 111 emergency call system. A permit does not free you of responsibility.

In rural areas, the NZFS will suppress all structural fires at no cost. For a vegetation fire that is unsupervised, out of control or creating a fire risk NZFS will remain on site for one hour for free to suppress the fire. Beyond that time we become liable for all costs incurred; these may accrue from either the NZFS or from our own fire suppression contractor.

If the person who lit the fire can be identified they are liable for the costs. Alternatively, the land owner on may be liable for the suppression costs, e.g. in a pine tree plantation the plantation owner is liable for the cost.

Fires on beaches and reserves

You need to inform the New Zealand Fire Service and check with us before lighting any fires on beaches and reserves. Small fires may be allowed on beaches and reserves if the fire is contained, i.e. in a barbecue or incinerator, or below the high water mark (size not greater than 0.5m cubed). A fire should not be lit in windy conditions and it should be adequately put out using water (not sand).
Fires are not allowed at Tongaporutu, Urenui and Onaero beaches.Return to top

What to do when lighting a fire

Keep the fire small, feed it from another pile if need be.
Have some equipment on site to suppress any other fires that may start, knapsack sprayers are ideal for this.
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.

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