Fire Permits
Fire permits can be applied for at the Kāpiti Coast District Council. A fire permit for open burning in the residential zone costs $20.00. There is no charge for open burning in the rural zone.
View information on current fire restrictions and alerts here.
Application Assessment
When assessing a permit application, Council staff will carry out a site inspection. The decision to issue a permit will take the following factors into account.
- Fire ground location and vehicle access
- Fire type, volume and combustibility
- Vulnerability to wind
- Current and forecast weather conditions
- Potential fire hazards, e.g. peat soils, gas installations, buildings, trees, shrubs, gorse and grass
- Overhead cables
- Availability of water and fire fighting equipment.
Special fire permits
During a total fire ban, special permits may be obtained to light Hangi or other traditional cooking fires. Special fire permits are issued at the discretion of the Council officer and subject to a site safety inspection.
Fire Planning
In some instances before a permit is issued a fire management plan may be required, e.g. Guy Fawkes bonfires, public bonfires, etc. The management plan will clearly identify the person who will be in charge of the fire as well as provide details on:
- Location of fire
- Purpose of activity
- Date of fire
- Duration of fire
- Number of people attending
- Public safety measures
- Availability of water and fire suppression measures
- Ability to call for emergency assistance
- Detail the procedures and persons responsible for ensuring the fire is fully extinguished at the end of the event
View information about fires on the beach here.
Permitted Activities
Some activities (subject to specific conditions) are permitted in a restricted season. These include:
- Gas-operated barbecue
- Charcoal barbecue, Hangi or Umu
- Incinerators
- Braziers, chimineria or other outdoor fire places
- Smokers or burners used to subdue bees or control bee mites.
Specific conditions relating to permitted activities:
- The fire may only be lit when wind conditions allow and the fire must be extinguished if wind conditions deteriorate
- The Fire must not cause a smoke, ash or odour nuisance that is objectionable beyond the boundary of the property
- The burning of accelerants such as rubber, plastics, oil, diesel and the burning of Copper-Chrome-Arsenic treated timber is prohibited
- Do not light incinerator fires at night
- Do not light fires closer than 3 metres to any property boundary, tree, hedge, building or other structure
- An adequate means to extinguish and prevent the spread of fire must be available at all times
- Burn only dry material
- Maintain constant supervision of any outdoor fire and ensure that fires are properly extinguished before leaving.
Alternatives to burning
Instead of burning consider the following options first:
Construction of Permanent Outdoor Fireplaces
Planning to construct a permanently fixed outdoor fireplace, for instance a barbeque in an outdoor living area? The Fire Prevention Bylaw 2010 requires that the fireplace be sited at least three metres from an adjoining property boundary. Exceptions can be made if the written permission is obtain from the affected property owner and consideration given to other factors, such as proximity to buildings, trees, hedges or other structure, etc.