Fire permits are back on the agenda, with significant rainfall lowering the fire danger in the Western Bay of Plenty and Tauranga City.

From today, Western Bay Moana Rural Fire Authority will be issuing permits for open air fires on a restricted basis.

Western Bay Moana Rural Fire Authority principal rural fire officer Alan Pearce. Photo: Chris Callinan.

Intermittent rain, followed by long dry patches of weather, has forced the authority to suspend permits numerous times this summer, with the latest suspension just last week.

Western Bay Moana Rural Fire Authority principal rural fire officer Alan Pearce is hopeful the region's fire risk will now continue to fall.

'More rain is predicted in the long range forecasts up to the end of February, and hopefully this will continue to lower the fire risk,” says Alan.

'However, we still need plenty of rain to alleviate the fire danger and people burning open air fires should be particularly mindful of the conditions imposed on the permit.”

The authority will continue monitoring the conditions as autumn approaches.

Alan urges people to err on the side of caution if conditions are not ideal.

Metservice forecasts most of the rain activity in the Bay of Plenty will be fuelled by daytime heating, and some of the showers could develop into thunderstorms.

A warning today shows that afternoon heating and wind convergence could see one or two thundery showers for inland areas of the Bay of Plenty late this afternoon.

Alan is happy to discuss fire permit issues with residents, and can be contacted on: 07 571 8008.

To keep updated on fire permit conditions, and for more information, visit: www.westernbay.govt.nz