Limit on rubbish fires

Press, 6 August 1987, Page 5

Limit on rubbish fires

Garden rubbish fires are likely to be restricted to four months each year in Waimaiair District. All outdoor fires in clean air zones are prohibited under the Clean Air Amendment Act, 1986, unless allowed for in bylaws. The council’s community affairs committee yesterday agreed to draft a by-law permitting fires in March, April, September and October. The council had earlier agreed that outdoor fires

should be allowed in April and September to allow people to get rid of garden rubbish in Spring and Autumn. The council’s health inspector, Mr Graham Manton, told the committee that the Christchurch City Council would consider a recommendation to allow fires in four months, rather than two. To save confusion, it would be easiest for both councils to adopt the same bylaws. Property owners would still be required to take

the "best practicable means” of restricting smoke. Those who allowed excessive amounts of smoke would be liable for prosecution. It is proposed to include provision in the by-law for occupiers of agricultural, commercial, or industrial premises to obtain written permission to have fires in other months. A condition of any permission would be that the work carried out on the premises would be prejudicially affected without a fire.