OPEN BURNING SEASON IN EFFECT

Public Notice is hereby given that the RESTRICTED FIRE SEASON which had been declared over the Clutha District will be REVOKED AS FROM midnight on Wednesday 23 April 2008.

An Open Burning season will be in effect, except in those areas within a radius of one (1) kilometre from Ernslaw One Forests (Southern RFD) and Department of Conservation land and within 500 metres of Wenita and City Forests plantations.  Permits to burn in these fire safety margins are still required and should be obtained from the Rural Fire Authority for that area.

S B Vigers

PRINCIPAL RURAL FIRE OFFICER

Click here to download a fire permit application

At certain times of the year we experience prolonged spells of dry weather. These are the times when the risk of fire is at its greatest. Council will restrict or prohibit all open fires during such periods.  There are a number of simple steps that you can take to protect your own property.

• Avoid all outdoor activities that generate heat or sparks.

• Clear vegetation within 10 to 30 metres around houses and outbuildings.

• Clean weeds and leaves from out of rain gutters and downspouts.

• Remove dead plants and debris from around your sections.

• Cut lawns and paddocks around buildings, and keep them watered when and where permitted.

• Connect a garden hose for immediate use in the event of a fire.

• Signpost water supplies and provide clear access routes to them.

• Prepare a home inventory, and collect important documents in a safe place. See our Civil Defence page for more information.

• Make an escape plan and make sure that everyone in your household knows what to do.

• Evacuate immediately if instructed to do so by local authorities.

For today's fire weather, see the National Rural Fire Authority website. The link to 'Fire Danger Today' can be found on their home page.

For more information about fire safety, see the New Zealand Fire Service website.