Fire restrictions are now in force across the entire Taranaki District.
Fire and Emergency New Zealand imposed the restriction from 8am on Monday morning , along with restrictions for the Ruapehu and Whanganui districts.
Gavin Pryce, deputy principal rural fire officer for Whanganui, Ruapehu and Taranaki, said the restrictions were a product of the current weather conditions.
"We've had a significant dry period without significant rain, therefore the vegetation - and grasses in particular - dry up, which increases the risk of fire, or the likelihood of being unable to control fire."
The restrictions mean a permit is needed for open-air fires.
Permits are not required for lighting a gas cooker, gas or charcoal barbecue, heater, hāngī, brazier or pizza oven. However, when lighting a fire for a hāngī and a brazier, the hāngī must be less than two square metres and a brazier no larger than half a metre.
A fire cannot be lit in a hāngī, brazier or a pizza oven within 3m of a building, hedge, shelter belt or other combustible material. A hose or another form of extinguishing the fire must be within 5m.