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It may have been a cold, wet December in the south, but the Fire Service is already concerned about the fire risk as warmer weather starts to dry things out.
Total fire bans could be in place in about 10 days in Marlborough and Central Otago if dry, warm weather persists, while Hawkes Bay is likely to be in the same boat. There is already a ban in place in Kaipara, in the Far North.
Several families were evacuated from homes in the Coromandel town of Hahei on Wednesday night when a fire started by fireworks tore through a cliffside reserve and cut off a popular walkway to Cathedral Cove.
South Island regions were 2C to 3C below the average temperature in December and received about twice the normal rainfall for the month.
But national rural fire officer Murray Dudfield said warm nor'west winds could quickly dry out "fine fuels" such as grass, bracken and gorse. And as each day passed without rain, larger fuels such as scrub could also become vulnerable to fire.
While dampening vegetation, the wet December also encouraged a lot of growth that could become fuel for a fire in coming weeks.
Mr Dudfield said it was important holidaymakers were aware of the fire danger in the areas where they were staying.
