Smouldering outdoor fires in parts of Coastal and Central Otago have caused pollution in recent weeks, prompting 53 complaints to Otago Regional Council.
As a result ORC is now reminding people of their outdoor burning responsibilities.
ORC’s team leader compliance monitoring Chris McSweeney said while outdoor burning in the colder winter months improves fire safety, the combination of spiralling smoke and the natural inversion layer can increase the incidence of pollution.
“We know how important outdoor burning is to the community and we are just reminding people to follow good burning practices.
“If not done well, outdoor burning is not only a nuisance for neighbours but can also contribute to air pollution if banned materials are burned and harmful toxins are released into the air,” McSweeney said.
He said if it is a cold start to the day – particularly in Central Otago – people should consider starting their outdoor burning later in the day to allow for the inversion layer to lift and so the smoke can dissipate higher in the sky.
“If people pick a good weather day then any smoke from a permitted outdoor burn should not be an issue to neighbouring properties over their boundary,” he said.
There are three types of outdoor burning: industrial burning, a backyard fire and vegetation/forestry burn-off. People can burn only in a Fire and Emergency NZ open season or permitted fire season.
McSweeney said ensure the fire is managed and start with a smaller amount of material on the fire and get it burning well before adding any more material to the fire.
People should continue to monitor their fire, not let it smoulder, leave it unattended or leave it to burn overnight.
“If using mechanical equipment, try not to add too much dirt to a fire as it will stifle the oxygen flow, which will cause more smoke,” he said.
People should burn vegetation and other permitted material only if the material is dry at the time of burning.
