Fire and Emergency New Zealand (Fenz) District Commander Craig Gold said those factors "all add up to high fire danger".
MetService has issued a raft of severe weather warnings for much of the country, including strong wind watches for all of Otago and Southland at periods over the weekend.
Because of the forecast, Fenz is urging people across the region to avoid lighting any outdoor fires - especially on Sunday and Monday.
Any rain on Saturday was unlikely to reduce the fire risk significantly, Gold said
"It’s really not the time to be lighting fires of any kind - that goes for farmers, contractors and forestry managers, but also for holiday-makers," he said.
Most of inland Otago is in a restricted fire season, so permits are needed for outdoor fires.
Permits include conditions which prevent fires being lit in windy conditions, or when strong winds are forecast. This applies to recreational fires as well as land management fires.
"A campfire by the river or a bonfire to celebrate the season can have devastating consequences if they escape, and will be very challenging for firefighters to put out in the high winds we’re expecting," Gold said.
People often lit recreational fires with good intentions but didn't realise the danger to themselves and others, he said
"Please find another way to celebrate summer.
"Our firefighters have got plenty to do already. If the party is at your place this holiday season, we actually prefer not to be invited, especially to an emergency."
- Allied Media
