The restricted fire season status has been lifted in the Tararua District following high rainfall and autumn weather conditions, but a total fire ban remains in place across the Wairarapa Rural Fire District, covering Masterton, Carterton and South Wairarapa.
Wairarapa principal rural fire officer Phill Wishnowsky said officers were monitoring
the region's fire risk "almost on a minute-by-minute basis" but rainfall had been "too patchy" to lift the fire ban in Wairarapa.
"We've had a little bit of rain recently ... Some areas have had a good amount of rain, others have had very little rain, so we would expect that the effect of that on the fire danger and risk will also be a little bit patchy."
Mr Wishnowsky said the underlying fire risk was still "very high" in Wairarapa and there was a large amount of dry dead vegetation which the rain "obviously hasn't brought back to life".
"We would still appreciate a bit more rain, particularly in some parts of Wairarapa, but as soon as we're comfortable that the risk has reduced, we'll be lifting the bans as quick as we can," he said.
