Take action now and check its alright before you light.
Fire and Emergency urges people to take action now ahead of a hot, dry summer
Firefighters do not join most Kiwis in welcoming the hot dry weather across the country, and are urging the public to take action now to keep their properties safe from fire.
This year is shaping up to be much drier than previous years and with the La Nina conditions forecast, it is only going to get hotter and drier. This means a greater risk to life and property. With many areas going into Restricted fire seasons, people need to take action now.
Key fire safety tips include:
- Make sure your property has good access for firetrucks, and to water supplies.
- Have a well-practiced escape plan so everyone knows what to do if there is a fire.
- Call 111 immediately if you see any smoke.
- Maintain a defendable area free of vegetation around your home
- Store firewood in a cool dry place, not next to your home. It will dry out with the sun and heat and ignite easily.
- Be vigilant when carrying out activities with machinery that causes sparks and ignite a fire. Dampen down the surrounding area beforehand, and undertake the activity first thing in the morning when it is coolest. Remember to check the fire season at checkitsalright.nz as these activities may be fully prohibited due to the high risk of them starting a fire.
Use our fire safety checklist to help make sure your property is safe from vegetation fires this summer.
Go to checkitsalight.nz to check the fire danger in your area and watch this space for updates.
What's your favourite recipe for courgettes?
Kia ora neighbours. If you've got a family recipe for courgettes, we'd love to see it and maybe publish it in our magazine. Send your recipe to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz, and if we use it in the mag, you will receive a free copy of our January 2025 issue.
It’s Riddle Time! Beat the Neighbourhood with Your Smarts!
Which of the following words don't belong in the group and why?
CORSET, COSTER, SECTOR, ESCORT, COURTS
Do you think you know the answer to our daily riddle? Don't spoil it for your neighbours! Simply 'Like' this post and we'll post the answer in the comments below at 2pm.
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Head here and hover on the Following button on the top right of the page (and it will show Unfollow) and then click it. If it is giving you the option to Follow, then you've successfully unfollowed the Riddles page.
Live Q&A: Garden maintenance with Crewcut
This Wednesday, we are having another Neighbourly Q&A session. This time with John Bracewell from Crewcut.
John Bracewell, former Black Caps coach turned Franchisee Development Manager and currently the face of Crewcut’s #Movember campaign, knows a thing or two about keeping the grass looking sharp—whether it’s on a cricket pitch or in your backyard!
As a seasoned Crewcut franchisee, John is excited to answer your lawn and gardening questions. After years of perfecting the greens on the field, he's ready to share tips on how to knock your garden out of the park. Let's just say he’s as passionate about lush lawns as he is about a good game of cricket!
John is happy to answer questions about lawn mowing, tree/hedge trimming, tidying your garden, ride on mowing, you name it! He'll be online on Wednesday, 27th of November to answer them all.
Share your question below now ⬇️