Fire and Emergency New Zealand will revoke the restricted fire season in all of Hawke’s Bay at 12pm (midday) on Monday 28 April, until further notice.

This means permits approved by Fire and Emergency are no longer needed for open air fires across the whole district.

The areas this change applies to are: Esk-Tutaekuri, Ahuriri-Heretaunga, Tukituki West, Tukituki East, Southern Hawkes Bay Coast, Pōrangahau, Pahiatua, Eketāhuna, and Tararua East, West, Central and South.

Wairoa Coastal, Wairoa Inland, and Te Haroto areas are already in an open fire season.

Hawke’s Bay District Manager Glen Varcoe says due to the cooler autumn weather, the fire risk in the district has now reduced.

"I’d like to thank the people of Hawke’s Bay for their vigilance during the fire season, and for applying for fire permits properly while outdoor fires were restricted over summer," he says.

"Although much of our district is still dry, the damper conditions have helped our firefighters to extinguish the smaller vegetation fires we’re still getting.

"We’ve had five fires in the last 10 days, so please continue to keep your fires small, stay with them, and ensure they are fully out over the following days and weeks.

"We do still ask people to take care when lighting any fires. Always check the requirements for your location on checkitsalright.nz, and check out the great safety advice before you light your fire."

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