We are the 11th day into the second calendar month of summer - still a long and warm (and probably windy) journey to travel yet.
Because as we know here in the generally sheltered eastern climes of Hawke's Bay, the real hottie generally tends to be February, with March not all that far behind.
So yes, it is effectively early days, and while that may bring smiles to those who embrace the pursuit of seafront sand and surf it almost certainly brings frowns of concern for all those charged with keeping the rural communities safe from a different sort of heat.
The heat from flames.
High temperatures and those seemingly endless bursts of strong winds, coupled with a near minuscule amount of rain over the past few weeks has seen the fire dangers soar.
The arrows on those big danger level signs throughout the region have swerved towards, and in many cases into, the red.
Just how dangerous things have become was brought home to the people of the Mahanga community up there in Mahia last Sunday afternoon - and brought home to all of us who heard about it for that matter.
People said they were terrified at the pace the fire ripped across the grass and scrubland.
It was fuelled by its own expanding heat of course but also by strong winds from the south.
It was bad enough that it gutted one unoccupied house but it could have been much, much worse had it managed to jump a roadway and to the tinder-dry grass and shrubbery on the other side ... where other houses stood.
The fire started in an isolated area to the south, and just how is not known.
But whatever sparked it provided a graphic illustration as to just how very serious the fire danger is out there right now.
Like anything, prevention is the best tonic, and we are at the point where everyone has to take this danger on board and not do anything, no matter how seemingly innocuous (like for instance setting off fireworks or making a bonfire at this stage of the summer) which could create a wind and dry terrain-fuelled blaze.
It is serious out there and fires are happening, and we're still three weeks away from the start of what is traditionally the hottest month.
Be very wary ... be very cautious.