Fire danger indicators in the Western Bay are now in the ‘very high' to ‘extreme' range and fire permits are being suspended.

Western Bay Moana Rural Fire Authority has suspended all fire permit issues and renewals until further notice.

Principal Rural Fire Officer Barry Low says people currently holding active fire permits may continue to use them, but should take extra care.

'While the permit suspension does not constitute a total fire ban it does highlight that we're treating the current elevated fire danger seriously,” says Barry.

A general fire permit is valid for 14 days, so suspending issues and renewals means the number of active permits reduces daily as expiry dates are reached.

Barry says the Rural Fire Authority will not look kindly on any person who, through carelessness or negligence, allows a permitted fire to get out of control.

'There is a still a small minority of people that don't think of the consequences of their actions, such as taking volunteer fire-fighters away from their normal jobs to deal with an unnecessary fire, or they simply don't care.

'At the end of day the message is pretty simple,” says Barry.

'If you can't control it, you should not light it.”