Reminder to obey district’s fire ban

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

THE fire risk across the district has crept up as the weather has heated up and fire authorities are urging the public to obey the total fire ban.

The total ban introduced before Christmas has so far been well supported. It prohibits fires in the open anywhere and at any time.

“By and large people have been totally compliant with it,” said principal rural fire officer Ray Dever.

“The scrub fire risk remains extreme right across the district, despite the rain we have had in some places. The scrub is so dry it will burn very quickly.”

Mr Dever said apart from a couple of pockets in the northern sector, the grass fire risk was high.

“In those northern pockets, it’s medium.”

The forest fire risk was also starting to sneak up, he said.

“It remains medium to high throughout the district at this stage.”

Mr Dever said he was regularly asked how fire authorities made decisions about fire risk when much of the district still looked green.

“It’s worked out quite scientifically. We don’t just look out the window and make a guess. A lot of information from weather stations right across the region is fed into our decision-making process.”

Mr Dever said there was no end in sight to the total fire ban.

“I can see it staying in place until some time in early March at this stage.”