All fires within 1km of the forest estate require a permit 365 days of the year.
Outside the 1km perimeter the following seasonal rules apply:
- Open Season: If you can meet the conditions, you can burn.
- Restricted Season: Fire by permit only.
- Prohibited Season: Total fire ban.
How can you tell which season applies?
Go to: www.otagoruralfire.org.nz
Predictions for 2018/19 season
NIWA’s climate modelling is predicting weak El Nino conditions to persist until April. This is likely to result in near-normal temperatures and rainfall in Coastal Otago. Soil moisture and river flows are predicted to be below normal.
However, in October we saw several low “relative humidity” alerts and some unusually warm temperatures which may indicate a more severe fire weather season ahead!
Preparedness
• Be aware of the fire danger
• Ensure fire extinguishers and machinery are up to standard
• Spike days can occur at any time with dry winds, so stay alert and be responsive