A prohibited fire season has been declared in the Selywn District from today, after a spate of fires last week.
On Thursday a fire in West Darfield destroyed a house, several sheds, and scorched hundreds of hectares of land.
The declaration by the Selywn District Council means no outdoor fires can be lit, and burning of crop stubble is not allowed.
Principal rural fire officer Douglas Marshall said Selwyn had gone through several weeks of dry weather and vegetation was extremely dry.
Mr Marshall said the rules helped ensure the risk of fires breaking out was minimised.
