Photo: RNZ / Tracy Neal
Otago and Waitaki residents are being urged to defend their properties against increasing fire risk, as dry weather continues.
Fire and Emergency says Dunedin, Clutha and Coastal Waitaki will move to a restricted fire season on Saturday at 8am, meaning any open-air fires will need a permit to light.
District manager Phil Marsh said despite some wet days coming, the more settled dry weather has dried out vegetation, increasing the fire danger.
"Previous fire seasons have shown that significant fires can ignite and spread quickly during dry weather, as is currently being experienced," he said.
"We've already had a number of significant fires in these conditions this season, including a vegetation fire in the Clutha that started in dry grass and spread, threatening a house and destroying a shed."
He said there were still many people camping across the district, and locals wanting to work on their properties, also raising the fire risk.
"[That's] especially in partially rural areas close to towns where there is more vegetation and grass."
He said people should take extra care this summer and they could take simple steps to protect their properties if a fire were to break out.
He suggested residents could:
- clear flammable material from 10 metres around homes and buildings, and from under desks
- move firewood stacked against houses
- clear gutters of dried leaves that can easily catch fire
- trim trees and bushes and remove trimmings
- keep grass short - and beware of metal blade mowers that could create sparks.