Council staff have reviewed the existing Waikato District Council and Franklin District Council Fires in the Open Air bylaws and has drafted a revised bylaw for consultation. This bylaw regulates the lighting of open fires in order to ensure that the lighting of open fires, especially in urban and country living areas, does not constitute a health hazard or risk to property. The bylaw requires persons lighting fires on a property to take proper precautions and apply for fire permits. The bylaw does not apply to rural areas.
Problems are encountered from time to time in respect of the lighting of open fires, especially in urban and country living areas where the proximity of neighbours can cause a smoke problem, to the detriment of those neighbours. The uncontrolled spread of a fire can result in damage to property or injury to health. The proposed bylaw allows the Council to regulate or prevent the occurrence of open fires, by prescribing prohibited fire seasons, issuing fire permits with conditions attached, and revoking or suspending such permits at any time if this is considered necessary. Furthermore the proposed bylaw allows the Council to require an owner/occupier of land to remove vegetation growth on the land, which could become a source of fire risk.
The process
The existing bylaws and revised draft bylaw were sent to New Zealand Fire Service, the New Zealand Rural Fire Authority, Transpower, Waikato Regional Council, Federated Farmers and neighbouring territorial authorities for preliminary feedback. We received one response from the Rural Fire Authority supporting the proposed bylaw.
Submissions
Submissions are invited on this proposal from Friday 24 August to Monday 24 September 2012. You can make a submission to the Council supporting, opposing, or suggesting an amendment to the proposed bylaw.
Submissions must be forwarded to the Corporate Planner Waikato District Council 15 Galileo Street, Ngaruawahia, Private Bag 544, fax 07 8248091, or email corporateplanner@waidc.govt.nz and must be received by the Council no later than Monday 24 September 2012.
For more information regarding the proposed bylaw please contact Gudrun Jones 0800 492 452 or email gudrun.jones@waidc.govt.nz