New Zealand Legislation: Acts

20 Prohibition of fires during extreme fire hazard

• (1) On any specified day or days in respect of which the National Rural Fire Officer has caused to be broadcast a warning of the occurrence or likelihood of the occurrence of weather or other conditions that may present an extreme fire hazard whereby life and property may be endangered by the outbreak or spreading of fires in any specified area, whether in a district or not, no person shall in that area light any fire in the open air or cause or permit any such fire to be lighted notwithstanding any other enactment.

  (2) On any specified day or days in respect of which a Fire Officer has, by notice, given a warning to any person of the occurrence or likelihood of the occurrence of weather or other conditions that may present an extreme fire hazard whereby life and property may be endangered by the outbreak or spreading of fires in any specified area, whether in a district or not, that person shall not in that area light any fire in the open air or cause or permit any such fire to be lighted notwithstanding any other enactment.

  (3) Every person commits an offence against this Act who, during the currency of any such warning, and without the authority of a special permit issued pursuant to section 24, lights any fire in the open air, or causes or permits any such fire to be lighted.

  Compare: 1955 No 44 s 18

  Section 20(1): amended, on 1 January 1991, by section 15 of the Forest and Rural Fires Amendment Act 1990 (1990 No 137).

  Section 20(1): amended, on 1 April 1987, by section 32(1) of the State-Owned Enterprises Act 1986 (1986 No 124).