Open air fires now banned in urban Christchurch

Open air fires are banned in Christchurch City and its urban ‘fire districts’ from Saturday 17 December, until further notice.

Areas affected are Christchurch City, Brooklands, New Brighton, Sumner, Lyttelton, Governors Bay, Diamond Harbour, Little River and Akaroa, which are all urban fire districts within the Council’s territory. Fire control in these urban areas is provided by the New Zealand Fire Service and the Council may impose fire bans, using the Urban Fire Safety Bylaw 2007.

A properly supervised gas barbecue or hangi is exempt from the ban, but there must be a hose nearby, which is connected to a water supply. Anyone lighting any other open fire (including burning solid fuel in a brazier) – or allowing a fire to be lit on their premises – may be fined up to $20,000.

Open fires in residential areas are already banned all year round by Environment Canterbury, unless a resource consent is obtained. This Christchurch City Council fire ban also captures non-residential properties in urban parts of Christchurch, as is usual over the summer months.

During winter, the ECan Clean Air Winter Period fire ban prohibits the lighting of open fires by anybody in the Clean Air Zone, and applies from 1 May to 31 August.