fire risk

As Dunedin city dries out in the warm temperatures, people need to be more careful about any backyard burning, the Otago Regional Council warns.

The Young Valley and Gillespie Pass Circuit status has returned to normal, after the lifting of a high alert by the Department of Conservation yesterday.

Showers over much of Central Otago yesterday morning did little to ease the fire risk, but cherry growers were happy northwest winds followed the rain.

Tinder dry conditions brought on by several days of soaring temperatures across the Queenstown Lakes have rocketed fire risk concerns in the district to extreme levels.

Despite light southerly rain yesterday afternoon, the fire risk in Wakatipu will revert to "high" or "very high" status by the weekend, rural fire monitors predict.

Nine of the 22 Arrowtown Volunteer Fire Brigade members have now been trained in co-response, partly thanks to a donation from Altrusa Queenstown.

The late summer is causing the fire risk in inland South Canterbury and North Otago to rocket, leading to total fire bans in some areas.

A total fire ban has been declared for Dunedin for the first time since 2004, with residents reminded to be extra careful when disposing of cigarette butts, or using lawnmowers during the dry conditions.