KEY POINTS:
Authorities are warning of a serious fire risk developing in drought-prone areas after several large farm burn-offs blazed out of control.
A dry winter and warmer conditions in recent weeks have left hill country in Canterbury and Central Otago prone to fire well before the heat of summer sets in.
"With some of the problem fires we have had, it's certainly been observed that the tussock grasslands are a little drier than they have been for the last five or six years," said National Rural Fire Officer, Murray Dudfield.
The Fire Service and Environment Canterbury (Ecan) have both warned that farmers need to be more cautious when using fire in rural areas to clear their land.
"So far this burning season, which still has seven weeks to go, 10 fires have been lit without notifying Environment Canterbury," said Ecan environmental protection manager of operations, James Tricker. "Some of these burned out of control."
One fire in Canterbury four years ago spread over 150 hectares and almost reached Orana Wildlife Park, where staff were preparing to euthanase the animals rather than let them burn.
Farmers say fire has been an important tool for them throughout the history of farming and most use it responsibly.
"There has been some knee-jerk reaction from some people in authority saying we will ban this as a right," said Federated Farmers president Charlie Pedersen.
"But it's a necessity for the right to light fires to be preserved. It does pose a risk to the rest of the community and farmers need to be ever aware that it can have dire consequences for other people."
Mr Pedersen said farmers were "pretty damn good" at reading weather conditions and knew when lighting a fire was too risky.
Mr Tricker said farmers had the right to carry out burn-offs but needed to advise authorities in writing, with the date and location.
Farmers who failed to advise authorities could face prosecution.
The fire risk is expected to remain serious in some areas until the annual "green-up" in the next few weeks, which adds moisture to the vegetation.
