Fire bans spreading across NZ 31st January 2013

[JennyLeez]

With very warm and dry conditions continuing this week fire bans are being put in place over different parts of the country.
Just before last weekend Auckland was placed under a total fire ban for the first time ever and also another populated area is also in the mix with Waimakariri and Selwyn Districts in Canterbury under the same ban.
Last week a scrub fire got out of hand in West Melton and this was on top of recent fires in the area which remains extremely dry.
The Far North is now also entering a fire ban phase and the Manawatu is also on the verge of declaring one.
The Northern Rural Fire Authority's decision to declare a prohibited fire season says it ban most fires apart from gas bbq's and  special permits for hangi fires may be considered.
A prohibited fire season was already in force in the fire-prone Aupouri and Karikari peninsulas, but in the rest of the Far North fires had still been allowed as long as a permit was granted. The fire ban means no new permits will be issued.
Parts of North Otago are tinder dry as well as are other eastern areas of both islands.
The bans generally include cooking fires which are barbeques with charcoal, also banned are fireworks and bonfires. Fires of any sort even with permits are now forbidden in most banned regions.
Next week could see some respite in the north but eastern areas at this point are  likely to remain mostly dry.
WeatherWatch.co.nz

Footnote:
Speaking with some of the locals over here on the East Coast of the NI. This is just not big deal to us. Every year Fire Bans are in place for our district.
This year a wee bit earlier perhaps. An Open Air Fire Ban was placed across Wairoa and the surrounding Rural District back on the 21st of December 2012. Permits must be obtained for all open fires across the board.

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[Suezy]

Thanks for that Jenny but saw on the map that Deano? put on yesterday as to how bad the whole of NZ was.  It is a scary thing when you have fires combined with strong nor westers so close and trust that no one has to suffer those again.
We have had fires in West Melton before - usually where some idiot has not taken the conditions into consideration.
My OH and I have just had what I call a discussion as he wanted to go flying his helicopter down towards the Waimak and explained that the neighbors would most likely be down there with shot guns etc. 
I also sorted out out at the time what precautions he was taking whilst flying on our property so it was a good discussion!!.