Fire and Emergency New Zealand will impose a prohibited fire season on the Marlborough South area from 8am on Monday 23 December, until further notice.

This covers the part of Marlborough which is south of the Wairau River, as far as the boundary with Canterbury, and includes the rest of Cloudy Bay/Te Koko-o-Kupe up to Rarangi. It also includes Department of Conservation land, but not the Ministry of Defence land at Woodbourne.

A prohibited fire season means no outdoor fires are allowed in the district, and all fire permits are revoked.

Nelson-Marlborough District Manager Grant Haywood says the hot, dry and windy weather over the last few weeks means there is still a very high fire danger in the district.

"In these conditions, with a lot of dry vegetation around, fires can start and spread very easily, and are then extremely difficult to contain," he says.

"We’re putting a prohibited fire season in place for this part of Marlborough as a necessary step in reducing the risk of starting wildfires."

Grant Haywood asks people to avoid any activity that produces heat or sparks in dry areas, such as welding, grinding, mowing lawns, or parking vehicles in long dry grass.

"If you want to know the fire safety risks around what you’re doing, there is good advice and guidance at checkitsalright.nz," he says.

"The website can also tell you what the fire restrictions are for your exact location.

"If you’ve lit any fires recently, check them again to make sure they’re fully extinguished, rake them out and apply water. And if you see any signs of smoke, dial 111 immediately.

"Let’s do our best to keep Marlborough a fire-free zone this summer."

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