Lawnmower David May has been getting multiple cancellations with this dry weather. Photo / Stephen Parker
The impact of "dangerously dry" conditions caused by about a month of next to no rainfall is being felt around Rotorua and the wider Bay of Plenty region.
The fire risk is extreme, restrictions on water use and even lawnmowing are being considered and businesses are scrambling to keep sweltering staff safe.
And there is little rainfall on the horizon.
Pumicelands principal rural fire officer Steve Webb said conditions were getting "drier and drier every day".
So much so, officers were considering imposing restrictions on activities such as lawnmowing in the middle of the day as the sparks were such a risk.
"We are getting really quite concerned."
Webb said even though occasional showers were in the forecast, a small amount of rain would not make a difference to the fire danger.
People should not get a "false sense of security" from a little bit of rainfall as more regular rain was needed to have an effect in conditions as dry as this, he said.
In the last week crews of 30 to 40 firefighters plus helicopters fought at least four big fires in the region, he said.
Crews were called out to about six different vegetation and small structural fires in the 24 hours to Friday morning.
On Wednesday afternoon, a spark from a powerline caused a two hectares grass fire near Whakatāne. Five fire crews worked for about five-and-a-half hours to prevent it from reaching a nearby property.
A prohibited fire season has been declared for the Bay of Plenty Coast, Central Lakes, and Pumicelands.
Matatā Volunteer Fire Brigade chief fire officer Gavin Dennis said conditions were "dangerously dry" so grass and scrub could light up extremely easily.
As a coastal brigade, he said their main concern was people's activities on the beaches.
A few weeks back sparks from bonfires set full rows of sanddunes on fire, he said.
Branches falling on powerlines also ignited grass fires recently.
"It doesn't take much in conditions like these."
Dennis, who had been with the brigade for 32 years, said this summer was one of the driest he had seen in years.
According to NIWA's Drought Index, the Bay of Plenty region ranged from dry to extremely dry but was not yet hitting drought conditions.
Metservice meteorologist Andrew James said although showers were expected in the Eastern Bay of Plenty this weekend, the wider Bay of Plenty region was looking mainly dry for the next few days.
Rotorua had not seen rainfall at all this month and had not had significant rainfall for close to a month, he said.
Rotorua's last significant rainfall was on January 14 with only 7mm of rain, he said.
NIWA meteorologist Ben Noll said although soil moisture was minimal at this stage, forecasters were monitoring the second half of February as moisture from the tropics was looking like it could blow over.
"There could be some weather changes in the coming weeks."
It was not only the soil getting thirsty, as the water supply began to dry up for rural residents and businesses felt the heat.
Rotorua's Select Lawn Mowing master franchisee Hayden Goldsack said the business had seen a major drop as the grass simply was not growing.
He said at some places he felt like he was just "moving the dust around" or being told to come back in a couple of weeks as there was nothing to mow.
"This is the driest I've seen it in 12 to 14 years."
He said he carried a fire extinguisher with him at all times to mitigate the risk and would be instructing all his workers to do the same.
Double H2Go, a water carrier service for Rotorua and Taupō, was inundated with business.
Owner Juliet Harris said it had been the busiest January they had for a while, as the peak season was usually in February and March.
"It has been flat out."
She said many people inquiring were first-time customers whose water tanks were running very low for this time of year.
Just a few days ago, they helped someone who had lived at their property for ten years and had never run out until now.
She said they were bracing for a very busy week next week.
Rotorua Lakes Council's manager of three water services Eric Cawte said there were no current plans for water restrictions, however, it was an option to be considered if usage remained high.
He said there was a steady increase in water use as the dry weather stuck around, this was most noticeable in the Eastern and Hamurana and Kaharoa supplies.
"In spite of Rotorua having reliable water sources to draw from, if usage gets too high, it can exceed the capacity of our pumps and resource consents to keep the reservoirs topped up."
With no rain forecast, the council asked all consumers to be sensible with water use, he said.
Lakes District Health Board emergency medicine physician Dr Suzanne Moran said hot weather affected many people, particularly those with chronic illness.
She said children or frail elderly people needed to be protected from sun damage and heat stroke by proper hydration, use of sunblock and sun hats and staying in the shade.
Federated Farmers Bay of Plenty president Darryl Jensen said the organisation was getting messages out to farmers to be proactive and not make the calls too late in terms of things like sourcing feed.
He encouraged farmers to make sure they had enough water and shade for their animals.
"It's just being proactive, and looking after your animals and yourself. These dry conditions, when they come around, are stressful for farmers and animals."
He said the total fire ban in the Bay of Plenty meant farmers would not be able to tidy up around their farm and would have to store rubbish until it could be burned.
Eastside Electrical Rotorua director Ruth Lickfold said the business had to adjust its job scheduling for the heat.
"We are putting roof jobs earlier in the day because the heat up there just builds."
She said they were also making sure there were two workers on jobs so that if one was in the roof the other was there to help them out if needed.
NuHomes and Renovations director Jamie Mear said with the hot, dry weather there was no holding up building, but there could be health and safety issues for workers in the sun.
"The sun in New Zealand is strong and you get burnt quickly. It can be quite horrible to work in."
Some materials, including timber, had to keep out of direct sunlight.
"But the main issue is keeping the guys covered and [avoiding] long-term exposure."
TIPS FOR SAVING WATER:
- Let the lawn go brown – it will recover when rainfall returns.
- If watering gardens or lawns, a good watering every few days is sufficient – and use a hand-held hose rather than a sprinkler
- Water just the gardens (not the paths or driveways)
- If washing a vehicle, use a bucket and don't let the hose run to waste.
Source: Rotorua Lakes Council
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