Fire and Emergency NZ has advised that several zones within the Nelson Tasman area of the greater Nelson Marlborough Fire District will transition from an open fire season to a restricted fire season, effective from 8:00am on Wednesday, 14 January 2026.
During a restricted fire season, fire permits must be obtained and held by anyone wishing to light a fire in the open air, except for those fire types specifically exempted and outlined here (pdf 155 KB).
The following zones will be changing from open to a restricted fire season:
- Coastal
- Waimea
- Nelson North
The zones of Lake Rotoiti, Murchison and Golden Bay will remain in an open fire season for now. St Arnaud remains in a 365-day restricted season, and Sandy Bay/Tokongawa remains in a 365-day prohibited season and all public conservation land (PCL) remains in a restricted fire season.
Get all the details on the Fire and Emergency website(external link).