The Bay of Plenty will move to an open fire season from 9am today, until further notice.

An open fire season means fires can be lit without a permit, as long as people use common sense and follow fire safety guidelines, which can be found on www.checkitsalright.nz.

Announcing the change, district manager Jeff Maunder said recent rainfall across the district means restrictions are no longer necessary.

“With more showery weather forecast over the coming weeks the risk has reduced,” he said.

“We still encourage anyone wanting to burn off old piles to have a burn plan in place.

“If you’re planning on lighting a fire, visit www.checkitsalright.nz to check if it’s safe to light.

“Keep burn piles small. Don’t light more than one at a time and have sufficient means to fully extinguish any burn offs.”

Weather ahead

MetService is forecasting settled weather across much of the country in the coming days, with just the odd shower about southern and eastern parts.

The weather organisation said daytime temperatures were expected to reach the mid to high 20s, with some areas in the eastern North Island expected to reach the low 30s on Monday afternoon.

“MetService is expecting plenty of sunshine, providing a welcome relief for the North Island after recent severe weather events,” MetService meteorologist Samkelo Magwala said.

“There’s still the odd shower on the cards for places like Tairāwhiti/Gisborne, Bay of Plenty and Coromandel, so it’s a good idea to keep an eye on the forecast.”

The odd shower was expected next week. Photo / Annabel Reid

Early next week, the opposite was expected, as weather conditions become wet and windy across most areas.

Western parts of the South Island were likely to see the wettest conditions, while things could be gusty over the lower and eastern South Island and lower North Island.

“With most people returning to normal routines on Monday, make sure to check the forecast before setting off as rain may reduce visibility and potentially lead to increased traffic during peak hours.”