The Otago Regional Council (ORC) is reminding landowners in Central Otago that the existence of an open fire season does not entitle them to burn rubbish indiscriminately.
Large clouds of smoke from a spate of uncontrolled burn-offs in the Alexandra-Clyde areas in recent days have been captured in an active inversion layer.
ORC director regional services Jeff Donaldson said this was the result of orchardists and lifestyle block owners topping trees and burning the rubbish on their properties.
Mr Donaldson said the council's ORC hotline had received 15 complaints about uncontrolled outdoor burning in the past month, which was just under half the number of complaints (34) received for outdoor burning for Central Otago in all of 2012-13.
An open burning season is in effect in the urban and rural fire districts of Central Otago, except in those areas within a radius of 1km from Doc land and Naseby Forest.
Permits to burn in these fire safety margins are still required and must be obtained from the Rural Fire Authority for the relevant area.
ORC will investigate the recent complaints.