No Permits Required as Fire Risk Declines

The Rural Fire authority has decided the fire risk has dropped enough to return to an Open Fire Season.

As of 8am, Wednesday February 3, it won’t be necessary to get a fire permit for fires in the open in both the Hastings District and Napier.

It has been just a few weeks since the requirement to get a fire permit was introduced across the region. However, recent heavy rain has dampened vegetation enough for authorities to be confident a fire won’t take hold and spread if it gets out of control.

The situation will be reviewed if and when the climatic conditions change.

Despite recent rain, Principal Rural Fire Officer Mike Maguire says members of the public should still be cautious about safety when lighting a fire