Don't be misled, despite rain over the weekend the Northland region remains in a total fire ban

A total fire ban remains in force across the whole of Northland, despite recent rain, as firefighters hope to avoid another huge blaze like this at Horeke earlier this month.

Parts of Northland were doused with rain over the weekend, providing a brief reprieve from summer's big dry, but a strict fire ban remains in place across the whole region.

Fire and Emergency New Zealand is warning people not to be misled following the rain and thinking fires can be lit, as its not the case.

Northland deputy principal rural fire officer Clinton Lyall said people need to remain vigilant during the risky period as more settled weather is needed.

"Fire and Emergency NZ asks if you can be patient and also give our volunteers and their employers a break from any unnecessary callouts," he said.

"The North has experienced a fair bit of rain lately which unfortunately can put people into a false sense of security. A Total Fire Ban still in place. Due to inconsistent conditions, the Total Fire Ban will remain in place until more settled weather."

Lyall called for Northlanders to remain vigilant and refrain from burning anything on their properties until they are given the all-clear.

Fire and Emergency NZ continues to monitor the weather conditions week by week, assessing the potential fire risk to the area.

Wind is now moving to the forefront of firefighters' minds, as it dries the ground areas quickly and has a lot of potential for rapid fire spread.

Lyall said cooler conditions would be optimum for removing the fire ban, however, the current conditions aren't helping the cause.

"We are lucky because we have high humidity which has more moisture in the air which means fire travel is a lot slower," he said.

"The other problem is the heat that comes with it, a little more rain, a little more settled weather and the wind obviously is the issue for us at the moment."

Northland crews have been forced to battle a handful of major fires within the region since the total fire ban was put in place and are still under investigation.

Around 70ha of scrub and pine plantation went up in smoke following a fire at Horeke which started at the end of last month.

Fire and Emergency NZ has pinpointed the location they believe the fire started but they are unaware of the cause of the blaze.