Waikato in restricted fire season
A restricted fire season is in place for Waikato with people requiring a fire permit if they wish to light an outdoor fire.
The prohibited fire season came into effect at 8am Wednesday and covers multiple areas in the region.
What you need to know:
- The ban covers the following areas: Waikato, Waipa, Otorohanga, Matamata-Piako, Hauraki, Waitomo, and South Waikato District Council boundaries.
-You must apply for a permit if you are to light an outdoor fire. Go to checkitsalright.nz and follow the instructions.
- Gas and charcoal barbecues are permitted.
- Individuals that operate heavy machinery are advised to exercise caution when out in dry terrain. Fire crews advise to undertake work in cooler temperatures and in minimal wind.
To find out more about outdoor fire safety, please go to Fire and Emergency New Zealand's (FENZ) website by clicking the button below.
Worst Xmas ever?
There's a a lot of planning that goes into Christmas day and sometimes things just don't go to plan. But it can be a good thing - a family mishap or hilarious memory that you can laugh about in Christmases to come.
Whether you burnt the dinner or were stranded at an airport...
Share your Christmas mishaps below!
⚠️ DOGS DIE IN HOT CARS. If you love them, don't leave them. ⚠️
It's a message we share time and time again, and this year, we're calling on you to help us spread that message further.
Did you know that calls to SPCA about dogs left inside hot cars made up a whopping 11% of all welfare calls last summer? This is a completely preventable issue, and one which is causing hundreds of dogs (often loved pets) to suffer.
Here are some quick facts to share with the dog owners in your life:
👉 The temperature inside a car can heat to over 50°C in less than 15 minutes.
👉 Parking in the shade and cracking windows does little to help on a warm day. Dogs rely on panting to keep cool, which they can't do in a hot car.
👉 This puts dogs at a high risk of heatstroke - a serious condition for dogs, with a mortality rate between 39%-50%.
👉 It is an offence under the Animal Welfare Act to leave a dog in a hot vehicle if they are showing signs of heat stress. You can be fined, and prosecuted.
SPCA has created downloadable resources to help you spread the message even further. Posters, a flyer, and a social media tile can be downloaded from our website here: www.spca.nz...
We encourage you to use these - and ask your local businesses to display the posters if they can. Flyers can be kept in your car and handed out as needed.
This is a community problem, and one we cannot solve alone. Help us to prevent more tragedies this summer by sharing this post.
On behalf of the animals - thank you ❤️