Rain ends prohibited fire season

Rain and lower temperatures have reduced the fire danger in Palmerston North sufficiently and as at midnight Thursday 17th April 2014 an Open Fire Season will be declared.

Deputy Principal Rural Fire Officer Graeme McIntyre says while the Prohibited Fire Season was only for a short amount of time it was required due to the dry conditions and fickle forecasts.

However, Graeme says Department of Conservation Land therein and any fire safety margins land bordering onto the Palmerston North City Council’s Rural Fire Area will remain as a Restricted Fire Season – still requiring a fire permit from the Department of Conservation.

While an Open Fire Season means you no longer require a Fire Permit to light a fire in the open air we still encourage any persons lighting fires to still maintain a high level of care, supervision and responsibility for that fire.

Graeme says it’s important to remember that if you do light a fire you are legally responsible for that fire if it gets out of control. That can result in an offence under the Forest and Rural Fires Act 1977, and/or Palmerston North City Council Bylaws being laid.

Any enquiries on fires in the rural area of Palmerston North should be made to Palmerston North City Council’s Front of House – Square-side or by calling 356 8199.
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