Rotorua's air quality is continuing to breach standards set by the Ministry for the Environment.
Air quality failed the standards on four days during May, according to Bay of Plenty Regional Council figures. Two breaches had already been recorded so far for June.
Between last May and August, 12 breaches occurred and over the same time the previous year there were 11.
National environmental standards for air quality were introduced in 2004, with regional councils and unitary authorities identifying areas where air quality could reach levels higher than the national air quality standards. Those areas were called airsheds and most were designated because of concerns about levels of smoke and soot (PM10) at certain times of year.
Lyall Thurston, councillor for Bay of Plenty Regional Council in the Rotorua constituency, said a ban on using open fires for home heating in the city was one of the actions to help meet the standards for air quality.