Menu
Open burning Open burning

Outdoor burning

It’s essential that anyone wanting to light an outdoor fire follows the fire safety and air pollution rules. These rules are designed to protect our environment and promote the well-being of everyone in our community. 

Essential rules for outdoor fires and backyard burning

  • Regardless of whether a property is urban or rural, you cannot light a fire within 100 meters of a neighbouring dwelling or house.
  • You must not burn household rubbish, plastics or treated timber as there is a high risk of releasing harmful particles which may impact air quality and people’s health.
  • You should let garden waste such as trimmings, branches and leaves dry out naturally before burning to avoid excess smoke.
  • Provided you meet general fire safety conditions, you can use a small heating or cooking fire, such as:
    • gas or solid fuel barbecue
    • pizza oven
    • brazier
    • outdoor fireplace
    • hāngi or umu

FENZ

  • For rural production land, you can apply for resource consent to discharge to air to burn vegetative material within 100m of another dwelling house.

Checklist: Before you light

✓ I am more than 100m from a neighbouring dwelling
✓ I have checked the wind and weather forecast
✓ I have let any neighbours know about my planned fire
✓ I have checked the Fire and Emergency New Zealand website to confirm I am allowed to light at my address or if I require a permit from them

You can download the Essential Backyard Burning Rules factsheet for more details and a printable version of this information. 

Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ) 

Check before you light a fire with FENZ – use their three-step tool to let you know whether it’s safe to light a fire, and if you’ll need a fire permit.

If you’re wanting to light a fire in a public place such as on a beach or in a park, please check your local council to ensure you follow any specific bylaws in your area.

If you want to light an open-air fire at your rural property that complies with the 100m rule, you need to find out what the current fire season is and whether you need a fire permit. Visit the Fire and Emergency New Zealand website for more information on fire permits and seasons. 

Check and apply for a permit.

No matter what the fire season is and whether you have a permit, you still need to follow any Council bylaws and Regional Council requirements relating to smoke nuisance and the burning of prohibited materials. If you are uncertain about whether you have resource consent for lighting a fire on your property, you can call Regional Council Duty Planner for free advice on 0800 884 880. 

Regional Natural Resources Plan

The Air section of the Regional Natural Resources Plan (p.18-21) contains rules about open burning. This includes permitted and restricted burning in regard to rural production activities. Depending upon the location and scale of the burning, you may require resource consent. Contact the Regional Council on 0800 884 880, or email info@boprc.govt.nz. 

Smoky fires are the main reason people call the Pollution Hotline. Here are our top tips to prevent excessive smoke: 

  • Burn only dry, seasoned material. Increased moisture content affects the heat of combustion and increases the likelihood of smoke. Allow two days fine weather before burning. 
  • Don't light fires in wind speeds greater than 10 knots - Beaufort scale 3 (leaves and the smallest twigs move in the wind). The ash produced on the fire is more likely to be blown about and the discharges will travel further in high wind conditions.  
  • Where possible, stack material to be burned to allow plenty of airflow into the base of the fire to aid efficient burning. 
  • Don't light fires when there is likelihood of an inversion layer, for instance when the air is cool and still such as in the evening or early in the morning. Dispersion of smoke is restricted when inversion conditions exist. The smoke will tend to hang about and not rise.  
  • Any fire should be at least 50m from any road other than a highway and 100m from any highway or dwelling house on an adjoining property or National Park boundary. 
  • Always check with FENZ to ensure fire bans or fire restrictions are not in place.

Incidents of smoke nuisance, pollution and environmental incidents can be reported to Regional Council on 0800 884 883. 

For more information on indoor fires, please visit our air pollution page. 

Incidents of smoke nuisance, pollution and environmental incidents can be reported to Regional Council on 0800 884 883. 

For more information on indoor fires, please visit our air pollution page. 

fire
fire
fire