Check the forecast before you light - Canterbury

17 September 2020

Fire and Emergency New Zealand wants Cantabrians to think about the weather if they are planning to burn this spring.

With spring Cantabrians see the arrival of the Nor’wester and dry weather.

This weather combination creates the perfect mix for potential scrub fires.

Canterbury’s Principal Rural Fire Officer Bruce Janes says while there’s plenty of green grass around the region, recent frosts have pulled a lot of moisture out of the grass, and strong winds could quickly dry out the Canterbury Plains.

"We know a lot of land managers have been undertaking pre-planned burns over the last couple of months, but we just want to remind them to be careful about conditions if they have any more planned over the next month or six weeks," Bruce Janes says.

"We are expecting summer-like conditions to hit earlier than previous years, so caution and care are needed when planning and undertaking the burn.

"With any planned fire we would like to be contacted and informed about the fire; where it is, how big it is expected to be, what time it is going to be lit and if there’s any way we can help.

"We can help with reviewing weather patterns and identifying safe areas to burn. It is also important to be aware of the weather conditions in the days after your planned burn, as fires could easily flare up," Bruce Janes says.

Fire and Emergency also recommends land managers check previous burn sites to ensure there’s no chance of re-ignition and embers can’t flare up and be blown around.

Carefully dampening down every fire is the important final step in managing every fire.