A burning beehive prompted a callout by the Alexandra Fire Brigade yesterday afternoon Beekeeper Russell Poole, of Alexandra, said he was burning a hive infected with the disease foulbrood.
That was the only way to deal with the disease and he was required by law to treat it that way He had attempted, unsuccessfully, several times this week to get a fire permit.
There is a total fire ban in place in Central Otago at present.
Mr Poole said the hive was placed in a pit to burn it, with hoses running beside it.
Since then he had been contacted by principal rural fire officer Owen Burgess who said Mr Poole would receive a permit to burn the diseased hive.