An existing fire ring and a pile of old ash prove that someone had a fire here once, not that you may have one today. New Zealand runs a three-tier fire season system that changes with conditions, and the land manager can prohibit fires regardless of what that system says.
The three fire seasons
In an open fire season you may light a fire in the open air without a permit, subject to the land manager's own rules. In a restricted fire season you need a permit from Fire and Emergency New Zealand before lighting anything in the open. In a prohibited fire season, open-air fires are banned outright and no permit will be issued.
The season is set by district and changes with conditions, sometimes at short notice during a dry spell. Check the current status for the exact district you are in on the day, not the district you drove through this morning.
- Check the district on the day
- Restricted means permit required
- Prohibited means no fire at all
The land manager can be stricter
The fire season is a floor, not a permission. DOC campsites, regional parks, council reserves and private campgrounds all set their own rules, and many prohibit open fires permanently regardless of the season. Where two rules apply, the stricter one controls.
Read the specific campsite page and the sign at the site. Some DOC campsites permit a small fire only in a provided fireplace, some prohibit solid fuel entirely, and backcountry fires carry separate conditions about location, clearance and size.
If a fire is genuinely permitted
Use the existing authorised fireplace where one is provided rather than building a new ring. Clear combustible material well back, keep the fire small, and have water immediately to hand, not in the vehicle, but beside you. Never light beneath overhanging trees, on peat, in strong wind, or near dry grass, gorse or mānuka, all of which carry fire far faster than people expect.
Burn only fuel you are permitted to use. Collecting living vegetation is prohibited on conservation land, and many sites require you to bring your own wood. Do not burn rubbish, plastic, foil or treated timber.
- Water beside you, not in the van
- Never light in wind or under trees
- Bring fuel; do not collect living wood
Putting it out properly
A fire is out when it is cold to the touch, and getting there takes longer than most people allow. Douse it, stir the ashes, douse again, and keep going until you can put your hand in the remains. Embers survive under ash for many hours and wind can restart them long after you have gone to bed.
Never leave a fire unattended, including while it burns down. Most escaped campfires start after the people who lit them decided it was nearly out.
Cooking when fires are banned
Gas cookers are the practical answer and are generally permitted when open fires are not, but check, because a prohibited fire season can restrict some appliances too. Use them on a stable, level surface, well clear of tent fabric and vegetation.
Never cook inside a closed tent, an awning or an unventilated vehicle. The risk is carbon monoxide, which is odourless and has killed campers in New Zealand. Let a cooker cool completely before it goes back into a vehicle or tent, and store gas cylinders upright and ventilated.
- Never cook in a closed tent or van
- Carbon monoxide has no smell
- Let cookers cool before stowing
If it gets away from you
If a fire spreads beyond your control, do not try to fight it beyond the first few seconds. Move away, downhill and across the slope where safe, because fire travels fastest uphill, and call 111 immediately.
Give the clearest location you can: the road, the nearest identifiable landmark, and coordinates if you have them saved offline. Being able to state where you are, quickly, is worth more than any equipment you are carrying.
Places along the way
Check before you go
Rules and conditions change. Recheck the official source and the page for your exact park or campground before departure.
Common questions
Can you light a campfire in New Zealand?+
Sometimes, and it depends on the fire season where you are. Fire and Emergency New Zealand sets each district to open, restricted or prohibited, and in a restricted season you need a permit before lighting anything.
How do you check the fire season before camping?+
Check checkitsalright.nz for the district you are actually in, on the day, then check the campsite's own rules, because many DOC sites ban fires regardless of the district season. A gas stove is unaffected by fire seasons and is the reason most campers carry one.
Take it on the road
Save the stops. Plan the whole trip.
Build an ordered route from saved places, calculate the distance and keep dates, notes and to-dos attached.
