A total ban on outdoor fires has been imposed today (25 Jan) across all of coastal Southland, including Stewart Island and all of the Department of Conservation estate.

Fire and Emergency District Manager Julian Tohiariki said that the indicators used for assessing fire danger had reached the threshold where a total ban on outdoor fires was required in these areas.

The decision was made in consultation with the Department of Conservation.

Prohibited Fire Season. All areas in red or brown indicate a total outdoor fire ban. Photo FENZ

The rest of Southland remains in a Restricted Fire Season, where a permit is required for most outdoor fires.

"These restrictions reflect the extended dry weather and hot temperatures that we have been experiencing," Tohiariki said.

"There is no significant rain forecast and the long-term outlook is for more of the same."

While there are currently efforts to conserve water across Southland, including sprinkler bans, Southland District Council (SDC) Water and Waste manager Geoff Gray said there was no water supply issues and he was not aware of any other [SDC] townships or areas that were running short of water at the moment.

Anyone considering lighting any kind of outdoor fire should first look at the www.checkitsalright.nz website to see the local fire danger level and whether there are any restrictions in place before reaching for the matches, Tohiarik said.

In circumstances where fires are permitted, it’s best to wait for more favourable conditions if the fire danger is high, very high or extreme.

It’s also important to have basic firefighting equipment like a hose ready and be prepared to keep a close watch on the fire.