Current Rural Fire Season Status (Open)
Under Section 22 of the Forest and Rural Fires Act 1977, the Restricted Fire Seasons currently in place in the Marlborough South area will be lifted and replaced with an Open Fire Season in all areas south of the Wairau River including the diversion except for the special fire zones detailed in the schedule below.
This notice is effective from 8.00 am on Friday 27 March 2009.
The Open Fire Season means that fire permits are not required for all Fires in Open Air. However this does not diminish the responsibility or potential liability for those who light fires. This means that you can still be held liable for the costs to extinguish a fire if you were responsible for lighting a fire that escapes or endangers neighbouring properties.
The Restricted Fire Season will remain in force in the special Rural Fire Zones detailed in the schedule below:
Zone 1 - Upper Wairau Valley
Zone 2 - Wairau Valley
Zone 4 - Wither Hills/Taylor Pass
Zone 10 - Sweetstream
Zone 11 - Benhopai
To apply for a fire permit in the special fire zones in the schedule above please phone Customer Services at the Marlborough District Council 520 7400.
Marlborough South is administered by the Marlborough District Council.
Area south of the Wairau River and the Wairau Diversion
Marlborough North Rural Fire District
When a restricted fire season is in force a fire permit is required at all times to light a fire in the open air.
Department of Conservation
A Restricted Fire Season is in place on all Department of Conservation Land including a 1 km Fire Safety Margin south of the Wairau River and Wairau Diversion
When fire risks reach specified levels a Prohibited Fire Season (Total Fire Ban) will be declared.
Good Burning Practices
To minimise air pollution and nuisance effects from smoke it is important that good burning practices are adopted. The attached information sheets promote good burning practice.
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DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION
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Fire Protection in Marlborough
Fire threatens everyone whether you live in Blenheim, Wairau Valley, the country, at work, or on the land.
When living in rural areas immediate help from fire brigades is usually much further away, therefore, response times to rural properties may be a little slower.
Fires in rural areas can cause loss of life, home, livelihood and possessions. They can destroy the natural environment and the many ecosystems.
WHO FIGHTS THE FIRES IN URBAN AREAS?
In the urban fire service districts comprising of Blenheim, Ward, Seddon, Renwick, Picton, Havelock and last, but not least, Wairau Valley, the Fire Service provides fire protection and fire fighting resources AT NO COST. Under the Fire Service Act 1975 the cost of fighting fires and a response to emergency situations in an urban area by the Fire Service is funded by a fire service levy attached to the insurance premiums.
Fire Prevention and Fire Hazards in Urban Areas
The control of fire hazards and fire prevention in urban fire service districts is administered under Council's Fire Bylaws.
Fire Authorities in Rural Areas
Pursuant to the Forest and Rural Fires Act 1977 rural fire authorities are responsible for the prevention, detection, control, restriction, suppression and extinction of fire in rural areas.
Who fights the fires in rural areas?
In the rural area the Marlborough District Council, the Department of Conservation and the Marlborough North Rural Fire Authority are all rural fire authorities in accordance with the Act.
Rural fire authorities are responsible for the provision of fire administration and prevention and are required to respond to and extinguish all out of control fires in their districts.
In most instances the nearest fire service brigade will respond to fires in rural areas, both structure and vegetation. At the same time the rural fire authority who is responsible under the Act will be advised and a Rural Fire Officer may choose to attend and take over control of the incident.
Fire Seasons
In rural areas there are three different types of fire seasons:
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Open fire seasonThis means that a fire permit is not required to light a fire in the open air.
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Restricted Fire Season
This means that a fire permit is required at all times before lighting a fire in the open air.
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Prohibited Fire Season
This means that the lighting of all fires is totally banned including both rural and urban areas.
Marlborough South Fire Authority Area
The Marlborough South Rural Fire Area is all the land that falls within the boundaries of the Marlborough District Council, south of the Wairau River and south of the Wairau diversion, excluding Department of Conservation lands which includes a 1 km fire safety margin.
Fire Restrictions Marlborough South
In the Marlborough South area the Council has adopted three fire seasons - Open, Restricted and Prohibited.
A Restricted fire season is in place 12 months of the year in the Special Fire Protection Zones as follows:
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Zones 1 and 2 - Wairau Valley
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Zone 4 - Wither Hills/Taylor Pass
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Zone 10 - Avondale/Summerlands
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Zone 11 - Sweetstream/Benhopai
(See map showing fire zones). Rural Fire Zone Maps
In the remainder of the South Marlborough Area an Open Fire Season is normally in place from 1 May through to 1 October. A Restricted or Prohibited Fire Season is put in place when the fire risk reaches specified levels.
Refer to RURAL FIRE SEASON STATUS for current fire season.
Fire Permit Applications Marlborough South Area
In the Marlborough South Area applications for all fire permits must be made by phoning the Customer Services Centre, Marlborough District Council on 03 520 7400.
During a Restricted Fire Season fire permits are required in urban areas.
Marlborough North Rural Fire District
The Marlborough North Rural Fire District is administered by a rural fire committee consisting of members from the Marlborough District Council, Department of Conservation, forest owners, NZ Fire Service and one ratepayer representative. The area this fire committee is responsible for is all the land which falls within the boundaries of Marlborough District Council north of the Wairau River and north of the Wairau diversion.
Fire protection for the entire area including Department of Conservation land is the responsibility of the Marlborough North Rural Fire Committee. For information on the Marlborough North Rural Fire District please contact Mr Robin Cox, Principal Rural Fire Officer at the Department of Conservation Picton Office, Phone 03 520 3002.
Fire Restrictions Marlborough North Rural Fire District
A Restricted fire season is in place 12 months of the year in Marlborough North.
A Prohibited fire season will be declared when the fire risk reaches specified levels.
Fire Permits
To obtain a fire permit in Marlborough North you will need to contact a fire officer responsible for the issue of fire permits in your area. For further information please contact the Department of Conservation, Picton Office Phone 03 520 3002 or Weyerhaeuser NZ Ltd 03 572 8921.
Fire Permits Urban Areas Marlborough North
Fire permits are not required in Picton and Havelock Urban Fire Service District provided:
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Your property is connected to the town water supply.
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The material to be burnt is less than 2 cubic metres in size.
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The fire is at least 5 metres from other structures and combustible materials that could catch on fire.
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The burning will be carried out during daylight hours.
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The fire is supervised at all times.
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Burning must only be carried out in calm conditions.
Department of Conservation Areas
South of the Wairau River and South of the Wairau Diversion
In the Marlborough South Area fire protection for Department of Conservation land together with a 1 km fire safety margin is the responsibility of the Department.
For all fire permits and fire administration matters you should contact the Department of Conservation, Renwick Office on Phone 03 572 9100.
General Fire Safety Matters
Barbecues, Incinerators, Braziers etc
Fire permits are not required for approved incinerators, gas barbecues and solid fuel barbecues provided the fire is well contained within the unit. Braziers because of their open nature do require a fire permit in all areas as they are considered an open fire.
What constitutes an approved incinerator
Old oil drums are not normally considered an approved incinerator. However provided they are covered with a fine mesh over the top to stop burning materials blowing out and hot ambers cannot fall out the bottom of the drum they will be considered permissible.
All incinerators, burning drums and solid fuel barbecues must be set up at least 3 metres from property boundaries, buildings and all dry materials that could catch on fire.
Council has produced a brochure called "Rural Fire and You". This is available below as a pdf file.
Who pays for fighting fires in rural and urban areas?
Rural Areas
The responsibility for fires in Rural areas is different from Urban areas. The costs of extinguishing a vegetation fire in a rural area can be recovered from the persons responsible for causing the fire.
The costs of fighting fires in Rural areas recovered from individuals found responsible for causing the outbreak of fire to date range from $1,000 to $250,000.
Attendance at structure and property fires in rural areas is free of charge.
Urban Areas
NO COST FOR FIRES IN URBAN FIRE SERVICE DISTRICTS
In accordance with legislation the Fire Services does not charge for attending fire and other emergencies in Urban fire service districts.
FOR ALL EMERGENCIES RING 111
The emergency service provider will need accurate information to minimise response times.
When calling 111 it is important to remain calm.
Give the operator the following information:
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Your name
- Property name, street address or RAPID number.
- The type of assistance required eg; fire, ambulance, police.
- The nearest intersection if known.
If possible always leave a member of your family near the phone in case the operator needs further information.
