All outdoor fires in Central Otago are banned until further notice. Fire and Emergency New Zealand (Fenz) yesterday declared a prohibited fire season in Central Otago, beginning at 8am today. Our grasslands are now very dry, and the fire risk has been slowly but steadily increasing — notably in Cromwell, Lauder, Clyde and Butchers Dam. Central Otago is predominantly a grassland area with a lot of fuel for potentially disastrous fires that would be extremely difficult to control. "A ban on all outdoor fires will reduce the number of callouts and allow Fire and Emergency crews to manage other fires that may occur."

Source: Otago Daily Times February 20, 2026 16:02 UTC