Firefighters battled a fire covering 80 hectares of forestry and farmland northwest of Bulls in Rangitikei on Saturday and Sunday. The lighting of fires in Manawatū, Rangitīkei and Palmerston North has been banned, effective from 8am on Wednesday. Principal rural fire officer Bradley Shanks said all fire permits were suspended in those areas while the prohibited fire season was in place. "A prohibited fire season means no fires are permitted as the fire danger is too high," he said. A prohibited fire season came into effect in Tararua on Monday.

Source: Stuff February 11, 2020 01:30 UTC