Fire and Emergency New Zealand has banned fireworks in the Queenstown Lakes area, and restricted open-air fires in the Strath Taieri, Coastal Waitaki and Lakes areas from 8am on Friday 20 December until further notice.

A restricted fire season means anyone who wants to light an open-air fire needs a permit authorised by Fire and Emergency, which they can apply for at checkitsalright.nz.

These restrictions do not change a year-round prohibited fire season in the following special risk zones: Mount Iron, Queenstown, Albert Town Recreation Reserve, Shag Point, Ruby Island, Stevensons Island, Mou Waho, Mou Tapu, Pig Island/Mātau, and Pigeon Island/Wāwāhi Waka.

Otago District Manager Phil Marsh says in spite of recent rain and forecast rainfall, the district will continue to dry out.

"In many areas we see grass browning off and seed heads drying out - this is where our fires start," he says.

"Fireworks pose a significant threat when grasses dry out, and Queenstown Lakes is a mix of mostly grassland and some scrub and forest.

"Many properties in this area are surrounded by grassland, which is very quick to ignite. Grasslands dry out quickly even after rain, and this often catches people out. One minute their fire is contained, and the next, it’s spreading through the surrounding grass."

Phil Marsh says using section 52 of the Fire and Emergency New Zealand Act allows the prohibition of fireworks to avoid the risk of large wildfires.

"Summer holidays are traditionally a time when fireworks either left over or saved from Guy Fawkes are brought out of the cupboard," he says.

"We do sometimes have vegetation fires started by fireworks, and with these conditions, the consequences of badly-handled fireworks on our safety, and our property and environment could be severe.

"We also urge people to check their old burn piles or land clearing burns to make sure they are completely out. Windy weather is liable to reignite them if they’re not extinguished."

Phil Marsh says this is already a busy time of year for fire crews, who also deal with motor vehicle crashes and other types of incidents.

"The influx of visitors over the holiday period usually brings more activities such as boating, camping and recreational driving, increasing the risk of fires getting started.

"I’d like to see volunteer firefighters getting to spend a bit more time with their family these holidays, not having to be out there putting out another preventable fire."

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