Canterbury District Commander Dave Stackhouse. Photo: RNZ / Nate McKinnon
Fire and Emergency will lift the prohibited fire season in Canterbury this week.
Open air fires have been banned in the district last month following a hot and dry spell alongside a run of wildfires.
From 8am on Wednesday, the whole Canterbury fire district from north of the Rakaia River to south of the Clarence River will move into a restricted fire season, meaning open air fires will require a permit.
Rain over the holiday period had greatly reduced the chances of vegetation fires starting or getting out of control, Canterbury District Commander Dave Stackhouse said.
"While we haven't had any large wildfires in the last three weeks, we are aware that it is still the middle of summer, which means we have kept some restrictions in place," he said.
"Even with the recent rain and cooler temperatures, this is still one of the drier parts of the country. Therefore, we are asking people to continue to be cautious about lighting fires, and follow the fire safety advice available at checkitsalright.nz."
Permits could be applied for on the [www.checkitsalright.nz Fire and Emergency website].
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