Fire restrictions imposed as rain continues to elude area

Fire restrictions are in place in the tinder-dry lower North Island after scrub fires have swept through the parched region, keeping firefighters on their toes.

In the past fortnight, rural fire services have rushed to a spate of scrub fires and rubbish fires.

As of Monday, officials declared a restricted fire season in place, meaning a permit is needed for lighting fires everywhere in the lower North Island, be it town or country.

A scrub fire in Pahiatua on Tuesday last week took almost 24 hours to put out as firefighters battled that blaze and two others at the same time in nearby Manawatū and Whanganui.

Manawatū deputy principal rural fire officer Bradley Shanks said since then, there had been fewer fires.

This is the earliest start to a restricted fire season in 10 years, showing just how dry it had been, Shanks said.

The region has had little rain since October, forcing Palmerston North and Horowhenua to introduce tight water restrictions. Some rain was forecast this week, but it would make little difference to one of the driest starts to summer ever.

People needed a permit to start a fire, but Shanks hoped they would think twice about whether a fire was really necessary.

‘‘The last thing we need is for one to get away from them by accident, because then all hell breaks loose.’’

He said if someone was thinking about lighting a fire without a permit, he had one piece of advice.

‘‘Don’t, because that’s generally the time it gets away.’’

Even ash left from previous fires was at risk of lighting up again as the heat could remain for a long time.

‘‘It can start back up and away she goes.’’