With weather drier than it has been in a long while, a total fire ban has been put in place for the entire Auckland region, which means all current fire permits have been suspended. NO FIRES are permitted unless it is an approved fire type (for cooking purposes).

This full ban came into effect January 28, 2020, a change from the restricted fire season which had been in place since November. 

There have been a few incidents in the area, such as the grass fire off Wylie Road in Warkworth. Over seven fire crews and a chopper were required to fight the blaze.

Homeowners should make efforts to reduce fire risk by keeping gutters clear from leaves and twigs and removing any dried vegetation. The fire risk is so great that people have been warned to take extra caution with simple activities like lawn mowing, as this alone could cause a spark that can easily become an out of control blaze.

Take extra care if you have kikuyu grass on your property; this plant has a hidden way of fuelling the flames. Fire can spread quickly along the extensive underground root system of kikuyu grass and surface in other drier grasses; thereby starting surface fires which can spread quickly in multiple directions.

For more information on fire safety and to see which fires are allowed during this time, go to https://www.checkitsalright.nz/, a site by Fire And Emergency New Zealand.