New smoke bylaw to take effect

A new bylaw giving Queenstown Lakes District Council better control over fire nuisance takes effect from September 1, 2008, said Queenstown Lakes District Council principal rural fire officer Gordon Bailey.

The Fire and Smoke Prevention bylaw 2008 was adopted by the council on June 29 and would replace the Urban Fire and Smoke Prevention Bylaw 1993.

“The main thing for people to be aware of is that absolutely no fires will be permitted in areas other than the Rural General Zone as defined in the QLDC district plan. This includes the use of braziers,” Mr Bailey said. “Or simply put, no fires will be permitted in any urban area.”

Purpose built, enclosed BBQ’s would still be permitted and any fires in the Rural General Zone would still require a permit

Another change to be aware of was that all fire permits would be issued by Lakes Environmental from September 1, 2008. “The idea here is to provide the community with more of a ‘one stop shop’ as many people applying for resource consent also need a fire permit,” Mr Bailey said.

The council would be taking a hard stance on enforcing the new rules. “We really need to minimise smoke nuisance between neighbours and encourage new, more sustainable ways of getting rid of organic matter,” he said.

Breaching the bylaw could see a fine of up to $20,000.

“This should be seen as a really positive step forward for the district as we all work towards maintaining that clean, green image we are all so proud of,” Mr Bailey said.

The bylaw and fire permit application form and district plan maps could be found on the council website www.qldc.govt.nz