Fires prompt burn-off reminder from ORC

Significant fires in Kingston and Cromwell earlier this week have prompted Otago Regional Council to remind people about the region’s fire risk when deciding to conduct burn-offs.

Many Queenstown readers contacted Crux concerned about large amounts of smoke seen towards the southern end of Lake Whakatipu. 

Complaints were also made to ORC.

ORC’s Compliance Manager Carlo Bell says despite the cool climate in coastal Otago in recent weeks, many parts of inland Otago are in fact tinder dry at present and pose a heightened fire risk.

“Because Otago is very dry in many places, ORC is urging people to check weather forecasts and take great care around any permitted or lawful property burn-offs they are intending,” he says.

People need to check the fire season status for their part of Otago and have any permits from FENZ as well as meeting ORC's rules.

Central Otago and Upper Waitaki zones in Otago are under a restricted fire season until further notice since December 16, so no burning is permitted in these areas.  

The general Queenstown Lakes zone is restricted so can burn only with a permit.

There are areas around Dunedin similarly dry, he said.

Mr Bell highlighted the MetService forecast for Central Otago for the next week had only a few isolated showers forecast, so dry conditions would likely persist.

“This should remind people to be extra careful around all outdoor fires, be it burn-offs or smaller outdoor fires, and when using machinery in dry areas, such as mowers or farm machinery,” he says.

The  fire in the vicinity of Kingston (Southland)  yesterday, which was attended by Fire and Emergency NZ and deemed a controlled burnoff with no further action taken. 

Mr Bell says there were six complaints to ORC’s Pollution Hotline yesterday from the Queenstown area which all appeared to relate to the fire, with a large smoke haze reported around Queenstown.

There was a second vegetation fire across about 2ha at Mount Pisa between Wanaka and Cromwell. 

Main image (Supplied / Andrew Marshall): Smoke haze around Lake Whakatipu on Tuesday.