Fire permits suspended across Canterbury

All fire permits for Canterbury and much of the upper South Island have been suspended.

Fire and Emergency Response Coordinator Colin Russell says with the high temperatures and strong winds forecast, cancelling fire permits reduces the potential for blazes to get out of control.

With temperatures expected to reach the mid-30s on Tuesday and Wednesday, Fire and Emergency is urging everyone to be vigilant about potential fire dangers.

“Avoid any spark-generating activities, like grinding and cutting metals outdoors, or using farm machinery,” Mr Russell says.

“Even mowing the lawn could cause sparks to start an out-of-control fire. Also, check previous burn sites for hot embers and if you see a fire, call 111 immediately.

“We have crews on stand-by and are ready to protect our communities, if a fire does occur.”

On Monday a scrub fire came perilously close to houses on Mt Pleasant. A large scrub fire also threatened homes at Pines Beach, north of Christchurch.