# NZ Fire Seasons and Fire Bans: A Guide for Groups > Fire seasons in New Zealand: open, restricted and prohibited, the year-round rule on DOC land, and what it means for groups. Source: https://www.explera.co.nz/blog/2026-10-21-new-zealand-fire-seasons-fire-bans-groups/ Safety 21 October 2026 · Explera Trade Desk · 3 min read ![Dry summer grass on open hill country under a blue sky](https://www.explera.co.nz/assets/blog/dry-grass-field-distant-hill-1400.webp) **Short answer:** Every part of New Zealand has a fire season status: open, restricted or prohibited. Fire and Emergency New Zealand sets it by zone, and it can change quickly in a dry summer. Public conservation land is in a restricted fire season all year. Explera DMC New Zealand checks the status before any group activity that involves a fire. Most group programmes never light a fire. The rules matter for campsites, beach or garden barbecues, hāngī experiences and New Year events. ## What do the three fire seasons mean? - **Open:** fires in the open air are allowed, with care. Do not light one in strong wind, watch it at all times and put it out fully. - **Restricted:** a permit is needed for most fires in the open air. - **Prohibited:** a total fire ban. No fires may be lit in the open air, and permits are suspended. The status is set by zone, so two places on the same itinerary can have different rules. The Check it's alright website (checkitsalright.nz) shows the current status for any address, and its "Can I light a fire?" tool answers for a place and date. ![A campfire burning inside a ring of stones](https://www.explera.co.nz/assets/blog/campfire-ring-of-rocks-1400.webp) *A campfire burning inside a ring of stones* ## What are the rules on DOC land? The Department of Conservation (DOC) says: - **Restricted all year.** Public conservation land is in a restricted fire season all year round. - **Campfires only at fireplaces.** At DOC campsites and day areas, campfires are allowed only in the fireplaces or fire pits provided, and only when there is no fire ban. - **Gas cookers usually allowed.** Gas burners and enclosed liquid fuel stoves are usually allowed for cooking at any time. - **Permits for other fires.** Bonfires, charcoal barbecues, umu or hāngī fires and fireworks need a permit from Fire and Emergency New Zealand, and DOC says permits are usually not granted. - **Some places never.** Some areas, such as DOC-managed offshore islands, have a fire ban all year. ![A camping gas stove boiling water beside a tent](https://www.explera.co.nz/assets/blog/camping-gas-stove-near-tent-1400.webp) *A camping gas stove boiling water beside a tent* ## What does this mean for groups? - **Hāngī experiences.** A hāngī cooks food over heated stones in the ground. Where it is part of a cultural experience, we ask the host how fire rules are handled on the day. - **Barbecues and outdoor meals.** We check the fire season for the venue and date, and plan gas cooking where fires are restricted. - **Campsites and walks.** Clients on camping or walking programmes should know that a campfire may not be allowed, even at a site with a fire pit. - **New Year events.** Fireworks need permission in many places. We do not plan private fireworks for groups. - **Check again close to the date.** A fire season can change within days in hot, dry weather. We check again before the activity. ## How Explera DMC New Zealand can help We plan outdoor programmes for [group tours](https://www.explera.co.nz/services/group-tours-new-zealand/), [Māori cultural experiences](https://www.explera.co.nz/services/maori-cultural-experiences-new-zealand/) and [guided walking](https://www.explera.co.nz/services/great-walks-and-guided-walking-new-zealand/). See our [Tiaki Promise briefing](https://www.explera.co.nz/blog/2026-10-10-tiaki-promise-briefing-clients-caring-for-new-zealand/), our [weather contingency guide](https://www.explera.co.nz/blog/2026-10-12-new-zealand-itinerary-weather-contingency-groups/) and our [DOC huts booking guide](https://www.explera.co.nz/blog/2026-10-13-doc-backcountry-huts-groups-online-booking/). ## FAQ **What is a restricted fire season in New Zealand?** A permit is needed for most fires in the open air. Fire and Emergency New Zealand sets the fire season by zone. **Can clients light a campfire on DOC land?** Only in the fireplaces or fire pits provided at DOC campsites and day areas, and only when there is no fire ban. **Are gas cookers allowed during a fire ban?** On public conservation land, DOC says gas burners and enclosed liquid fuel stoves are usually allowed for cooking at any time. Clients should still take care in high fire danger. **How do we check the fire season for a place?** Use the Check it's alright website (checkitsalright.nz). It shows the current status for an address and has a "Can I light a fire?" tool. **Does a hāngī need a fire permit?** On public conservation land, umu and hāngī fires need a permit from Fire and Emergency New Zealand. Elsewhere it depends on the fire season. We ask the host how it is handled. ## Sources - [Fires](https://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/know-before-you-go/fires/), Department of Conservation - [Check it's alright](https://www.checkitsalright.nz/), Fire and Emergency New Zealand ## Talk to the trade desk Explera DMC New Zealand trade desk — b2b@explera.co.nz, WhatsApp +66 93 656 8090, B2B portal [b2b.expleradmc.com](https://b2b.expleradmc.com). ## Talk to the trade desk *Your New Zealand DMC partner* From a single FIT to series groups and full MICE programmes, every New Zealand proposal is costed by hand against your brief at net rates. Send your requirements as a new email with a descriptive subject line. [b2b@explera.co.nz](mailto:b2b@explera.co.nz) [WhatsApp +66 93 656 8090](https://wa.me/66936568090) ## More from the trade blog. *Keep reading* [All posts](https://www.explera.co.nz/blog/) [Subscribe via RSS](https://www.explera.co.nz/blog/rss.xml) - [TRENZ 2027 in Christchurch: What Buyers Should Know](https://www.explera.co.nz/blog/2026-10-21-trenz-2027-christchurch-te-pae-buyers/) - [Conservation Week 2027: Give-Back Days for Groups](https://www.explera.co.nz/blog/2026-10-20-conservation-week-2027-give-back-activities-groups/) - [Hamilton Airport to Australia: A Waikato Gateway for Groups](https://www.explera.co.nz/blog/2026-10-20-hamilton-airport-trans-tasman-flights-waikato-groups/)