Two Bay of Plenty centres, Whakātane and Te Puke, feel hottest days on record

The beach was packed, doors and windows flung open and the ice blocks flowing as two Bay of Plenty centres bore their hottest days on record.

Yesterday, Whakatāne hit a whopping 36.4C, smashing its own heat record of 33.3C by a landslide.

Not far behind, Te Puke felt its hottest day on record at 33C on Saturday.

"This is the reality now, we live in a warmer world," Niwa meteorologist Ben Noll said.

Temperature records were constantly being broken across the country and were becoming "more and more common", Noll said.

The extreme heat was caused by a hot Australian air mass floating over the North Island combined with dry grounds and conditions.

Yesterday, Rotorua got to 30.2C, Tauranga to 33.2C and Kawerau got a sizzling 35.C.

These temperatures were nearing previous records but not quite there.

Rotorua's highest recorded temperature was 32.2C in 2019, Tauranga with 33.7 and Kawerau with 37C, both in 1983.

Whakatāne Mayor Judy Turner said the day had been "really, really hot" and the unairconditioned council building she worked in had every door and window open as far as they could go.

"It didn't appear to be working ... it was unbearable for some."

Luckily for them, the chief executive of the council had collected a load of ice blocks and handed them around the office about 3pm.

Turner said the town had been a part of a load of "heatwave extremities" across the country over the last few days.

Yesterday had felt similar to the rest of the summer with loads of people heading down to the beach to swim, he said.

This opinion was echoed by the Whakatane Surf Life Saving Club, with lifeguard Campbell Julian saying the beach had been "packed" all the way down.

"Yesterday was so hot ... it was just boiling."

He said although the paid patrols were over, the volunteer callouts had been peaking as people filled the beaches.

Thankfully, the crews had not had to do many rescues but instead keep their eyes peeled for swimmers in trouble, he said.

Over the hill in Te Puke, the hot temperatures were also being welcomed.

Owner of Kiwifruit Country, a popular Te Puke tourist attraction, Gavin Fleming said customers had been seeking refuge indoors on Saturday as the hot sun beat down.

Ice cream and cold juice sales had spiked to new levels over the weekend, with new supplies being ordered in quickly, he said.

In terms of the fruit itself, he said the old vines were fine with the high temperatures, however, the young ones were struggling in the heat.

He said a bit of irrigation would be the saviour for many of the young vines.

Although many were relishing in the hot sun, fire crews were on high alert.

A prohibited fire season was officially declared for Central Lakes, Bay Of Plenty Coast and Pumicelands yesterday, with all fire permits suspended due to increased danger.

Principal rural fire officer Steve Webb said in extreme conditions it only takes a spark to start a devastating wildfire.

"To protect your home, keep roofs and gutters clear of dead leaves, debris and pine needles. Move anything that could burn away from exterior walls, decks or porches."

If the current conditions persist there may be a requirement to prohibit any activities that may cause fires to start, he said.