The Ahuriri rural fire district could be split from the Waitaki district and put into an enlarged South Canterbury district.
But the Waitaki District Council and Ahuriri Community Board oppose the idea, fearful it will affect the firefighting and civil defence abilities of the Waitaki district.
At present, the council is responsible for and funds rural fire parties throughout its area from Palmerston to Lake Ohau.
The Ahuriri ward represents about two-thirds of that area.
But the National Rural Fire Authority has proposed enlarging fire districts in New Zealand and wants to put the Ahuriri area into the South Canterbury rural fire district.
The proposal would not affect fire brigades based at Kurow, Otematata and Omarama which come under the New Zealand Fire Service.
But it would affect the Omarama rural fire party, supported by tankers at Otematata and Kurow, which fights rural fires.
The rural fire party also helps during civil defence emergencies - for example, during flooding at Omarama in May.
Waitaki's civil defence and emergency planning, including Ahuriri, comes under the Otago civil defence emergency management group which would pose difficulties if the Ahuriri rural fire party was placed with South Canterbury, which comes under Canterbury emergency management.
The council's emergency services manager, Chris Raine, said the aim of the enlarged fire districts was to improve the operation by better resource management.
It would be confusing, especially during emergencies, if the Ahuriri rural fire area was transferred into the South Canterbury rural fire district, becoming part of Canterbury civil defence emergency management for fire emergency planning and response.
He wants the Waitaki rural fire district kept intact, with Ahuriri remaining part of it and the Otago civil defence.
He suggested if changes were made, it should be part of an enlarged Otago rural fire district.
The council will consider Mr Raine's views at its meeting tomorrow.
