Big bills loom when fires get out of control

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People who light fires in Northland that get out of control risk being billed for the costs of fighting the blaze and any subsequent damage, a fire officer says.

Despite plenty of rain last month, there are still major risks in lighting fires, Whangarei and Kaipara principal rural fire officer Kevin Ihaka says, with dry patches of kikuyu a particular issue.

There is a total fire ban in the Far North - meaning permits are required before any fires can be lit - while in Whangarei and Kaipara it is an open fire season, but Mr Ihaka said that still meant common sense was needed.

Firefighters across Northland have fought several vegetation fires in recent weeks and Mr Ihaka said anybody who lit a fire that got out of control could expect a hefty bill for fighting the blaze and any associated damage.

"The risk is fairly low, but there are still issues out there, such as dry grass, particularly kikuyu, that if flames get to will just take off," he said.

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"People will still have to face the consequences if their fires get out of control and can expect to be billed for the costs of putting it out."

He said firefighting costs could become high very quickly.

"Even the smallest fires will be between $5000 and $10,000 in firefighting costs," he said.

"They get much higher when we start talking about helicopters and bulldozers and crews for days."

Fighting fires in the Far North during last summer cost slightly less than $500,000, while the cost of fighting a large fire at Pouto last summer was about $200,000.

Mr Ihaka said people wanting to have a fire should contact their rural fire officer first.

Go to www.nrfa.org.nz for advice from the National Rural Fire Authority.