A fire at Clifton Hill earlier this month. Photo / Supplied
A restricted fire season is now in place across Marlborough and Kaikōura.
The change in fire season came into effect at 8am on Thursday.
Principal Rural Fire Officer Chris Hayles said anyone wanting to light an outdoor fire in those areas will now need to apply for a fire permit.
"With the recent hot and dry weather we've had, we have a lot more dry vegetation around here than previous years.
"This increases the fire danger and means if a fire were to start, it could spread very quickly."
Hayles said they are urging everyone in Marlborough and Kaikōura, whether you live there or are visiting for the summer, to follow the fire season.
"Be safe and apply for a permit if you want to light an outdoor fire. If you have a permit, follow the conditions listed on it.
"When you apply for a permit we can help you plan your fire and give you advice on the best day, time and location for your fire which will reduce the likelihood of it getting out of control."
Check the fire danger level for the day you plan to have one. Hold off if it's too windy or the fire danger level is too high, Hayles said.
• Go to www.checkitsalright.nz and follow the instructions to apply for your permit.
Fire and Emergency NZ can make people pay fire suppression costs that could run into tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars. For serious offences, such as knowingly or recklessly lighting a fire in the open air during a total fire ban, offenders can be jailed for up to two years or fined up to $300,000.
It comes after a restricted fire season was announced in Christchurch earlier this month following 10 suspicious fires on the Port Hills in 10 days.
Fenz also announced a fireworks ban, covering the "high risk" Port Hills, Akaroa and Bottle Lake areas.
How a resilient Kiwi village hopes to bounce back from a big drop in visitors.