Irrigation in the Mackenzie Basin. Photo: RNZ / Kate Gudsell
A senior fire officer is urging Mackenzie Basin residents to act now to reduce their fire risk, saying the area is ready to burn.
Fire and Emergency has set up an incident management team in Twizel as it predicted a very high fire danger with hot, dry and windy conditions forecast for the next four days.
The number of fire trucks and crews automatically sent to any vegetation fire has been doubled, with two helicopters and monsoon buckets on standby for the next three afternoons.
Incident controller Rob Hands said the area was curently facing the most challenging wildfire conditions since 2008.
A community meeting on the wildfire risk starts in the Twizel Events Centre from 6.30pm on Wednesday.
Four teams will go door knocking on Wednesday evening to speak to Manuka Terrace residents about the fire risk, especially after a fire that threatened properties but was contained on Sunday.
Hands said there were simple steps to make properties easier to defend, including removing flammable material from 10 metres around buildings, trimming trees and bushes and removing the trimmings, clearing gutters of dried leaves, keeping the grass short and moving firewood stacked against houses.
"Taking these steps now to protect your property from attack by fire will go a long way to helping our firefighters if a fire does break out," he said.
He also reminded people that using a trimmer with a nylon line was safer in these conditions than a mower or trimmer with a metal blade that could create a spark.