Firefighters working at the site of the West Melton fire on 9 December, 2024. (From left) Senior firefighter Emily Sutton and station officer Lou Ander. Photo: RNZ/ Nathan McKinnon
Lighting outdoor fires will be prohibited across a large swathe of the South Island from tomorrow.
Fire and Emergency (FENZ) is placing a prohibited fire season on the Marlborough South area from 8am.
It covers from south of the Wairau River as far as the boundary with Canterbury, but not Defence Ministry land at Woodbourne.
Canterbury will also be under a total fire ban starting at midday on Monday, while a ban on outdoor fires and fireworks already applies to Central Otago, Naseby and Upper Waitaki.
Canterbury has seen some big wildfires recently, including blazes at Bridge Hill, Dunsandel, Kirwee and West Melton.
Many fire bans have been declared in other regions throughout the country, including the Wairarapa and Hawke's Bay.
FENZ offers an online tool to check fire restrictions in your region.
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