Rural parts of Dunedin are drier now than at the height of last summer, prompting the Dunedin City Council to announce a total fire ban for parts of the city.
The ban will come into force at 8pm tonight across the Strath Taieri rural fire zone, which includes rural parts of the city and Middlemarch.
It was announced yesterday in a joint statement by Dunedin City Council principal rural fire officer Graeme Still and council civil defence and rural fires manager Neil Brown.
Contacted yesterday, Mr Still said the combination of strong winds, low rainfall and a "pretty benign" winter meant conditions in the zone were drier now than in February this year.
"It's very dry, very dry indeed . . .
It wouldn't take much to set something going there," he said.
Authorities were also monitoring the city's south coast, including most of the urban city centre, and north coast zones, he said.
Parts of the south coast, particularly around Henley, were also "drying out rapidly", and a total fire ban could follow, Mr Still said.
It was less likely a ban would be needed in the north coast zone, which began about the Leith Valley saddle, he said.
"I'm not saying never, but I'm predicting we will be fine," he said.
At present, only permitted fires were allowed in the two zones.
The total fire ban for the Strath Taieri zone prohibited the lighting or use of charcoal and wood-fired barbecues, braziers, incinerators, campfires and Thermettes, Mr Still said.
Gas barbecues and cookers were still allowed, but people using them were urged to take care and keep them clear of combustible materials.
People were also warned to be mindful of the fire risk posed by the use of vehicles off road, petrol chainsaws - where the exhaust systems may ignite dry materials - the disposal of cigarette butts and the use of mowers, Mr Still said.
The Department of Conservation also planned a fire ban for all parts of the zone it controlled.
Mr Still urged anyone spotting a fire to alert emergency services quickly, as fires would spread rapidly in the present conditions.
"It will take a significant number of days of rainfall to lower the fire risk, so it should not be assumed that a heavy rainfall will lead to lowered risk and the lifting of the ban," he said.
The ban comes after the Otago Daily Times last week reported Dunedin and parts of Central Otago had experienced one of their driest Novembers in 90 years.
