Scorching weather sparks warnings

With sweltering 30 degree days predicted in the next week, residents are being asked to keep tabs on water use and be fire wise.

Scorching weather is forecast for the next week but Christchurch City Council is urging residents to use the water supply carefully.

Some weather forecasters are predicting this weekend could see Christchurch temperatures reach as high as the mid-30s followed by several more very hot days next week. 

Fire and Emergency New Zealand is calling for people in high fire risk areas to take steps to keep their properties safe and Christchurch City Council is reminding residents not to go overboard with watering their gardens. 

The Council has asked residents to keep their water use down this summer as work is underway on many of the city’s wellheads and pump stations.

Council Water Supply Programme Manager Helen Beaumont says this work is necessary to ensure chlorine can be removed from the city’s water supply as soon as possible.

“We appreciate that people worry about the state of their lawns and vege gardens when the weather is so hot and dry, but we’d love it if they can continue to use our water resource carefully.  

“The less water being used the faster we can work,” she says. 

The Council has been encouraging residents to water their garden, at most, every second day, using hand-held hoses rather than sprinklers or irrigation systems, and to avoid watering their lawn.

Water use to date is tracking well below summer averages for the past two years but there have been significant increases in demand on hotter days.

Fire Emergency New Zealand (FENZ) is also reminding local residents in high fire risk areas to make their properties safer by clearing house gutters of leaves and other vegetation and keeping grass and other vegetation trimmed.

FENZ Integrated Risk Manager Darrin Woods says anyone who has had a fire recently should physically check to make sure it is fully extinguished and there's no potential for it to reignite. "When undertaking property maintenance that could cause sparks, such as mowing lawns and scrub cutting, avoid the hottest part of the day, and when barbecuing, make sure barbecues are clean and that gas bottles are connected properly without leaks.

"In areas without a reticulated water supply, we need tanks, pools, ponds and waterways to be made available to be used by emergency services. A four metre wide and four metre high clearance is required to access properties."

For other fire safety tips check the Fire and Emergency NZ website. 

Canterbury Medical Officer of Health Dr Alistair Humphrey is also warning people to keep cool and hydrated as temperatures rise. He says older people, children and those with underlying medical conditions are most at risk from the impacts of heat stress.

 “It’s especially important to stay out of the sun, avoid extreme physical exertion and ensure that babies, children, and elderly people (and pets) are not left alone in stationary cars.”

 Dr Humphrey says extreme heat can affect blood pressure and hydration, and he urges people to seek help if they feel dizzy, weak or have intense thirst or a headache. “Good hydration is key, try to consume at least two litres of water a day and avoid drinking alcohol in the hot weather as it speeds up dehydration.

 As well as being sun smart if outdoors, residents are advised to keep their houses cool by opening windows to get a breeze, closing curtains to keep the sun out and consider using the cool cycle on heat pumps.

Council Animal Management Team Leader Mark Vincent says people shouldn’t forget about animals who often suffer in the hot weather. “We’d like to remind owners not to leave dogs in hot cars even for a few minutes, and to make sure they exercise their dogs at cooler times of the day. We still see dogs being walked on baking hot footpaths which can burn the exposed pads of their feet.”

People should also make sure their pets have plenty of fresh, cool water and shade available on summer days, he says.