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Outdoor burningTe tahu

Find out about what you can and can't burn on your property. Air quality problems can be reported to the Pollution Response team on 0800 108 838.

Flood-damaged properties – 2023 winter burn exception has ended

The Order in Council which temporarily enabled the burning of some prohibited items is over.

The temporary law change was in place on 5 July 2023, with burns needing to be completed by Wednesday 1 November 2023.

If you have questions about this – please contact Regional Council staff on the pollution hotline 0800 108 838.

Outdoor burning

What can I burn?

Materials you can burn at certain times of year (see ‘when can I burn’ below):

  • Dry garden rubbish
  • Untreated timber
  • Paper and cardboard

What can’t I burn?

Materials you must never burn:
It is banned to burn these materials as they are extremely damaging to air quality:

  • Animal waste (unless generated on production land)
  • Tyres and other rubber
  • Waste oil, or any other hydrocarbons
  • Painted Wood, treated wood, plywood
  • Chipboard
  • Plastic
  • Asbestos
  • Medical or chemical waste
  • Any combination of metals and combustible materials, including coated or covered cables.
  • Any synthetic material
  • Peat.

Reporting burning problems

If you or your property is affected by outdoor burning, call our Pollution team - Pollution Hotline: 24/7 - 0800 108838.
Find out more about our pollution team here.

Special cases:

There are specific rules restricting the outdoor burning on trade or industrial sites.
• They cannot burn materials outdoors without a resource consent, OR
• They cannot burn materials without proper incineration equipment – a purpose built incinerator or boiler with a chimney and a way of controlling temperature (44 gallon drums are not incinerators), AND
• They aren’t burning waste generated on another property, AND
• They aren’t burning any of the prohibited items listed on this page, AND
• They are complying with city or district council bylaws, and Fire Emergency NZ’s requirements.

Growers may burn outdoors during May, June, July, and August if there are no other practical or reasonable onsite disposal methods. Burning may only occur for:
• Orchard or vineyard redevelopment - Where production trees are removed and being replanted. Allowing orchards to go back to pasture or crop planting is not redevelopment.
• Disposal of diseased plant material.
However, there are strict conditions for this:
• The burning of prunings is not permitted.
• Fires must be lit in a way to reduce smoke and hazards, AND
• none of the prohibited items listed on this page are being burnt, AND
• they are complying with city or district council bylaws, and Fire Emergency NZ’s requirements.

Burning on horticultural production land is not permitted if:
• the wind is likely to cause smoke to drift towards the Napier or Hastings airsheds, block visibility on nearby roads, OR
• under calm conditions where the wind speed at 1m above ground is less than 3 metres for second.

Fires for cooking such as BBQs, hāngi and umu are permitted at any times so long as:
• They aren’t burning any of the prohibited items listed on this page, AND
• They are complying with city or district council bylaws, and Fire Emergency NZ’s requirements.
• The fire does not cause nuisance smoke/odour for neighbouring properties. Smoke cannot block visibility on nearby roads

When can I burn?

  • Under Regional Council rules if your property falls within the Napier or Hastings 'airsheds' outdoor burning is prohibited during the months of May, June, July and August (inclusive). Use the mapping tool below to check if your property is in an 'airshed'.
  • Under Regional Council rules you can burn outdoors from September-April, so long as you have:
    • Checked with your city or district council to make sure you aren’t breaching their bylaws, AND
    • checked with Fire Emergency NZ regarding fire bans and whether you may need a permit, AND
    • that you are not burning any of the prohibited items list above, AND
    • made sure that smoke, ash or odour from your fire is not causing a problem beyond your property boundary. Smoke must never affect visibility on nearby roads.

Where can I burn?

  • Use the tool below to check if your property falls within the Napier or Hastings 'airsheds'. If your property falls into the orange area on the map, you must not burn outdoors during the months from May 1st to August 31st (inclusive)
  • Under Regional Council rules, if your property does NOT fall within the Napier or Hastings 'airsheds' you MAY burn so long as you:
    • Checked with your city or district council to make sure you aren’t breaching their bylaws, AND
    • checked with Fire Emergency NZ regarding fire bans and whether you need a permit, AND
    • are not burning any of the prohibited items list above, AND
    • have checked that smoke, ash or odour from your fire is not causing a problem beyond your property boundary. Smoke must not affect visibility on nearby roads. 

Find out if you are in an Airshed

Enter your address below. If your property falls into the orange zone on the map you cannot burn outdoors during the months May, June, July, and August (inclusive).

Find out what an Airshed is on this page

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