Revocation of Total Fire Ban
Posted on 10 January 2011The Southern Rural Fire Committee as Fire Authority for Southern Rural Fire District gives notice to the public the Total Fire Ban (Prohibited Fire Season) currently in force in the District has been revoked from 9.00 am, Monday 10th January 2011. This excludes the Naseby Zone where a Total Fire Ban is in place.
1. The public is reminded that a Restricted Fire Season will remain in place.
2. No fire shall be lit in the open air within Southern Rural Fire District during the Restricted Fire Season without a written permit from a Rural Fire Officer of the District, except for the following which do not require permits as long as the following conditions are met:
(a) Incinerators; conditions - incinerator is designed to prevent the escape of fire and ashes, is no closer than 5 metres to any building, tree, hedge, fence or other combustible material, a water supply sufficient to control any spread of fire is available, all embers and ashes are totally extinguished after burning and before dark.
(b) BBQ/Cooking Fires; conditions - fire is no closer 5 metres to any building, fence, hedge or other combustible material, a water supply sufficient to control any spread of fire must be available, all embers and ashes are totally extinguished after burning and the BBQ is not left unattended, (gas BBQs are preferred).
(c) Offal Hole (only applies in rural areas); conditions - there must be a cleared area of at least 30 metres from any other combustible material, a water supply sufficient to control any spread of fire must be available.
(d) Hedge/Tree Trimmings (only applies in rural areas); conditions – fire is no larger than 2 metres by 2 metres, fire is 30 metres away from and on the downwind side of any shelterbelt, trees, fences, buildings or other combustible material and the wind is blowing away from the above.
No fires are to be lit when conditions are such or are predicted, (eg strong winds) that the fire is likely to spread.
2. It is the responsibility of people lighting fires to make sure they are safe at all times and cannot spread. It is no legal defence that the fire was of a type or lit at a time permitted by this notice.
3. People seeking further information or wishing to obtain fire permits can contact the Southern Rural Fire Authority fire permit line during work hours on 0800 773 363. Please allow 5 working days to process permit applications and undertake inspections of the area concerned.
This notice is issued pursuant to Section 22(2) of the Forest and Rural Fires Act 1977 this 10th day of January 2011.
Michael C Grant
PRINCIPAL RURAL FIRE OFFICER
SOUTHERN RURAL FIRE COMMITTEE