All outdoor fires in Central Otago are banned until further notice.

Fire and Emergency New Zealand (Fenz) yesterday declared a prohibited fire season in Central Otago, beginning at 8am today.

District manager Craig Gold said in a statement the ban might come as a surprise to many because of a slow start to summer and Central Otago not experiencing its usual long hot summer days.

"However, it’s been quite deceptive. Our grasslands are now very dry, and the fire risk has been slowly but steadily increasing — notably in Cromwell, Lauder, Clyde and Butchers Dam.

"We have reached the threshold where we need to declare a prohibited fire season," he said.

"While several large, permitted burns have been successfully carried out over the last couple of months, it’s no longer safe to do so, and we appreciate the support of the farming community, in particular, in recognising that," he said.

Central Otago is predominantly a grassland area with a lot of fuel for potentially disastrous fires that would be extremely difficult to control.

"We want people to be very vigilant," Mr Gold said.

"A ban on all outdoor fires will reduce the number of callouts and allow Fire and Emergency crews to manage other fires that may occur." — Allied Media