The Wairarapa southern coastal zone of Fire and Emergency New Zealand’s Wellington District will enter a restricted fire season from 8am on Monday 2 December, until further notice.

A restricted fire season means anyone who wants to light an open-air fire will need to obtain a permit, which you can apply for at www.checkitsalright.nz.

Community Risk Manager Phil Soal says the season has been changed because of the increased fire danger in this area.

"The weather in Wellington and Wairarapa is already constantly warmer and drier, and the southern coast of Wairarapa is rapidly drying out," Phil Soal says.

"This is a very popular area for camping, fishing and diving, and we’ve had fires starting under these conditions here in past years. The most common vegetation in this zone are coastal dune grasses, pasture grasses, gorse, scrub and pine forests - and these all burn very well. If fires get out of control in this zone, they move fast and are very hard to contain."

The southern coastal zone takes in Aorangi Forest Park, all of the east coast from Pahaoa south, the south coast round to the western edge of Aorangi Forest Park, and to the north, the boundary follows the Wainuioru River, including Hinakura and Ruakokoputuna.

"Wairarapa has seven fire permitting zones, which may have different fire seasons from each other. People might see someone burning something not far away but in a different zone and think it’s ok to light fires in their area, too," Phil Soal says.

"If you don’t know which zone you are in, go to checkitsalright.nz and enter your address to find out what fire season you’re in, and what conditions you would need to meet to light a fire, or if it’s permitted at all."

Phil Soal says the frequency and number of significant wildfires is on the rise in New Zealand, due to hotter, drier weather patterns.

"Our records show that 97% of New Zealand’s wildfires are caused by people - these are preventable fires, and we don’t want to see them in Wairarapa’s beautiful southern coastal area."

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