Outdoor burning on most properties zoned rural (including rural residential) is permitted without a resource consent from Environment Canterbury. Stubble burning is also permitted.
Rural properties close to sensitive activities
Outdoor burning is not permitted on rural properties 100 metres upwind or 50 metres in any other direction of a sensitive activity without a resource consent from Environment Canterbury. Please also check the conditions for outdoor burning.
Sensitive activities include schools, hospitals, parks, residential areas and any public amenity area or place of public assembly.
Rural properties in Christchurch Clean Air Zones 1 and 2
View the Christchurch Clean Air Zones map (gif 64 kB)
Outdoor burning on rural properties in the Christchurch Clean Air Zones is not permitted without a resource consent from Environment Canterbury during the Christchurch winter fire ban which runs from 1 May to 31 August.
Outside this period, outdoor burning is permitted, however there are restrictions for properties close to sensitive activities. Please also check the conditions for outdoor burning.
Rural properties in Rangiora, Kaiapoi and Ashburton Clean Air Zones 1 and 2
Outdoor burning on Rangiora, Kaiapoi and Ashburton rural properties is not permitted without a resource consent from Environment Canterbury during the Rangiora, Kaiapoi and Ashburton winter fire ban which runs from 1 May to 30 September.
Outside this period, outdoor burning is permitted, however there are restrictions for properties close to sensitive activities. Please also check the conditions for outdoor burning.
Rangiora
View the Rangiora Clean Air Zones map (gif 25 kB)
View more detailed maps of Rangiora (pdf 1.4 MB)
Kaiapoi
View the Kaiapoi Clean Air Zones 1 and 2 map (gif 43 kB)
View more detailed maps of Kaiapoi (pdf 1.07 MB)
Ashburton
View the Ashburton Clean Air Zones 1 and 2 map (jpg 168 kB)
View more detailed maps of Ashburton (pdf 2.84 MB)
Conditions of outdoor burning
Where and when outdoor burning is permitted, it is subject to the following conditions:
- Only the following materials are allowed to be burnt: Vegetation (including stubble and crop residue), paper, cardboard and untreated wood.
- Rubber tyres, painted wood, wood treated with preservatives, batteries, foam, chipboard and some other materials are not allowed to be burnt.
- Any fire should not cause an offensive or objectionable effect beyond the boundary of the property where the fire is located. Whether an effect is offensive or objectionable is at the discretion of the Environment Canterbury enforcement officer.