A run of hot, windy days has escalated the Central Otago fire risk and a total fire ban was imposed at midnight yesterday.
''The fire weather indices are telling us we should be in a prohibited fire season,'' Central Otago principal rural fire officer Owen Burgess said.
The fire ban applied throughout the district, including Department of Conservation land and the Naseby Forest.
''There hasn't been much rain lately and there's been a lot of winds so things are getting really dry,'' he said.
Conditions were so dry, there had already been several vegetation fires caused by sparks from mowers.
A fire which burnt about 100sq m of vegetation around the boat ramp and public toilets at Bendigo on Thursday was believed to be started by a mower and there were also two vegetation fires at Springvale recently which started as lucerne was being mowed, Mr Burgess said.
''As well, the weather forecast is for settled days, with more gusty winds, so that will increase the fire risk.''
All existing fire permits had been cancelled.
The fire risk is lower throughout the rest of Otago and restricted fire seasons remain in force in the Clutha, Queenstown Lakes and Waitaki districts, where fire permits are required to light a fire in the open air.
Waitaki principal fire officer Steve Couper said the fire danger on the lower Waitaki was low, with the risk in higher areas medium to high.
''We're still getting a bit of rain the odd time, and at the moment we don't have a lot of strong winds. It's certainly drier up the [Waitaki] valley and certainly we could get some extreme conditions if we do get some wind up there.''
He said fire permits would not be issued for the upper Waitaki, but new permits would be considered on a case by case basis in lower areas.
''Down through the valley into the lower Waitaki it's pretty green, obviously because of irrigation.''
People should still take care that fires were monitored carefully if wind was forecast, he said.
