The Country
  • The Country home
  • Latest news
  • Audio & podcasts
  • Opinion
  • Dairy farming
  • Sheep & beef farming
  • Rural business
  • Rural technology
  • Rural life
  • Listen on iHeart radio

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • Coast & Country News
  • Opinion
  • Dairy farming
  • Sheep & beef farming
  • Horticulture
  • Animal health
  • Rural business
  • Rural technology
  • Rural life

Media

  • Podcasts
  • Video

Weather

  • Kaitaia
  • Whāngarei
  • Dargaville
  • Auckland
  • Thames
  • Tauranga
  • Hamilton
  • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Tokoroa
  • Te Kuiti
  • Taumurunui
  • Taupō
  • Gisborne
  • New Plymouth
  • Napier
  • Hastings
  • Dannevirke
  • Whanganui
  • Palmerston North
  • Levin
  • Paraparaumu
  • Masterton
  • Wellington
  • Motueka
  • Nelson
  • Blenheim
  • Westport
  • Reefton
  • Kaikōura
  • Greymouth
  • Hokitika
  • Christchurch
  • Ashburton
  • Timaru
  • Wānaka
  • Oamaru
  • Queenstown
  • Dunedin
  • Gore
  • Invercargill

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / The Country

Central Otago grass fires show extremity of hazard level

By Alexia Johnston
Otago Daily Times·
27 Jan, 2020 02:00 AM2 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Photo / File

Photo / File

Several grass fires on the roadside at Fruitlands yesterday gave a stark reminder of just how dry conditions are across Central Otago.

Fire and Emergency New Zealand (Fenz) received "multiple" calls related to grass fires along State Highway 8, between Alexandra and Roxburgh at about 1.15pm.

Fenz Southern Communication Centre shift manager Daniel Reilly said a fire crew from Alexandra and one from Dunstan were initially sent to the scene.

However, due to the day's dry hot weather, fire danger and the risk involved, one more crew from Alexandra and two more from Dunstan were sent too.

"On arrival, we found two fires at the Fruitlands straight" Reilly said.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"The first fire was relatively small and was out by the time the fire brigade arrived. The second fire was approximately 20m long, along the roadside on both sides".

He said it was not known what sparked the fires during Central Otago's prohibited-fire season.

Fenz issued a warning last week, prohibiting any activities which could cause sparks, including roadside mowing, grinding, welding, the use of chainsaws, fireworks and explosives.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Mid to high twenties temperatures expected this week may bring extreme fire danger.

Discover more

Bushfires put pressure on Australia's dairy sector

15 Jan 12:35 AM

Shed fire on Lear St in Stratford

20 Jan 06:08 PM

Tourists evacuated from Cape Reinga due to large scrub fire

23 Jan 05:00 PM
New Zealand

Five fire crews get fire in a shed at Napier Port under control

27 Jan 12:41 AM
Save

    Share this article

Latest from The Country

The Country

Storm-hit region faces 57-hour drenching; heavy rain to hit north of both islands

09 Jul 03:54 AM
The Country

David Seymour co-hosts The Country

09 Jul 02:22 AM
The Country

‘Clearly preventable’: Company, director sentenced over timber yard death

09 Jul 01:26 AM

From early mornings to easy living

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from The Country

Storm-hit region faces 57-hour drenching; heavy rain to hit north of both islands

Storm-hit region faces 57-hour drenching; heavy rain to hit north of both islands

09 Jul 03:54 AM

Friday is expected to bring the worst of the heavy rain, which lingers into the weekend.

David Seymour co-hosts The Country

David Seymour co-hosts The Country

09 Jul 02:22 AM
‘Clearly preventable’: Company, director sentenced over timber yard death

‘Clearly preventable’: Company, director sentenced over timber yard death

09 Jul 01:26 AM
'David and Goliath': Australian gold mine company makes $25m Central Otago land deal

'David and Goliath': Australian gold mine company makes $25m Central Otago land deal

09 Jul 12:54 AM
Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP