Open fires in Rotorua homes ruled out from Friday

Rotorua has ruled out using open fires.

A regional council ban on the use of open fires in Rotorua households will come into effect on Friday, despite district council requests to delay the measure.

From May 1, those living within the Rotorua urban "airshed" will not be allowed to burn wood for open fires in their homes. The ban forms part of the 2010 Rotorua Air bylaw, which was passed by the Rotorua Lakes Council but is administered by the Bay of Plenty Regional Council.

Yesterday Rotorua electorate regional councillor Lyall Thurston dismissed previous suggestions residents had not been suitably informed of the ban. "They [the district council] believe there was a lack of knowledge in the Rotorua community about this initiative. We totally disagree."

Mr Thurston said the regional council would not be "heavy-handed" with enforcing the ban, but that it was a vital public health matter.

On March 19 the district council asked a delegation from the regional council to give Rotorua residents 12 months reprieve before they were forced to stop using open fires.

Rotorua mayor Steve Chadwick described Friday's measure as a "ban, but a soft ban" and welcomed the regional council's commitment to leniency. "Even if you advertise, people only take notice of things when they are right before them, and for a lot people it hasn't sunk in," she said.

A working group is scheduled to meet on May 14 to discuss the implementation and effects of the ban. Those present will include representatives from the regional council, district council, Lakes District Health Board, Ministry for the Environment, Housing New Zealand, and medical officers for health.

Mrs Chadwick said she looked forward to the results of the group.

"No one denies in the middle of winter we have an air problem here."

Mr Thurston agreed.

"It's well-documented that Rotorua has some of the worst air quality in New Zealand. It's a critical health and wellbeing issue for residents," Mr Thurston said. "I have been inundated with calls from parents with children with bronchial complaints who are concerned about the implementation of this bylaw."

He said residents were not being asked to "pull out their fireplaces" and stressed that only open fires would be affected. When asked about the potential increase in heating costs for residents who used open fires during winter, Mr Thurston said this was balanced by the positive effect the ban would have on public health.