Extreme Conditions Force Fire Ban in Hastings District

Hastings District Council and the New Zealand Fire Service agree the time has come for a total fire ban throughout the Hastings District.

At a meeting today it was decided that from 6am on Saturday Morning no permits will be issued to light a fire and strict penalties will apply for people who do light fires.

Principal Rural Fire Officer, Mike Maguire, says all of the fire risk indicators have reached extreme and are tracking to well above previous years.

“Forecasts show there is no sign of rain in at least the next seven days and conditions are so volatile just the slighted spark could cause a devastating blaze. We are asking anyone working or travelling through a rural environment to take extreme care,” Mr Maguire says.

“We asking people to take the warning seriously and refrain from throwing cigarette butts out the car window or lighting bonfires at the beach.”

In similar conditions fires have been sparked by stone-strike from a lawnmower, a car taking off from a verge or from dry grass caught under tractors igniting.

“We are really grateful for the response we’ve had to warnings so far this season. Very few fires have been deliberately or accidentally started by members of the public and the few fires we have had tend to be when a falling branch hits power lines.”

Restricted Fire Season signs throughout the district will be changed to Fire Ban tomorrow ahead of Saturday. Napier City Council has also issued a total fire ban and Central Hawke’s Bay District Council is considering whether to issue its own fire bans.