Smoke and Air Quality

Waikato Regional Council measures the amount of PM10 (very fine particles smaller than 10 microns) in designated air-quality management areas called "airsheds". Currently, airsheds include Tokoroa and Putāruru in the South Waikato District.

In winter, most PM10 in monitored airsheds comes from smoke from wood burning fires in homes. It is small enough to get into people’s lungs and can cause serious health problems.

The following links on the Waikato Regional website provide more information and resources on local air quality findings.

View the latest maps and data

Outdoor burning and smoke nuisance

Help us to prevent call outs for incorrect, harmful or unsafe outdoor burning and smoke plumes.

Burning irresponsibly may be in breach of the Property, Maintenance and Nuisance Bylaw 2017. Please review the following guidelines from Waikato Regional Council about best practices before you burn:

Outdoor burning and air quality | Waikato Regional Council

What's the best way to burn?

Before you start - please consider the environment:
Can you recycle, compost or take waste to the refuse station?

If you must burn - please reduce smoke and burn safely and considerately:

Make smaller fires
Make sure fuel is dry and loosely stacked
Make sure the fire does not smoulder
Check that the wind is predicted to be away from built up areas for the duration of the fire
Postpone lighting your fire if it's likely there will already be smoke from other fires in the air
Burn as far from your property boundary as possible
Avoid burning in the late afternoon or evening. Breezier daytime conditions help disperse smoke
Be prepared to put the fire out if conditions change or you discover that you are causing a nuisance

Can I light a fire? Consider the conditions

Please consider any risks for wildfire - check on the Fire Emergency NZ website below.

Check its alright

What sort of things can I burn?

Paper
Cardboard
Organic material (like food waste, untreated wood and vegetation)

TIP: Wait for green waste to turn brown where possible to help reduce smoke

What can't I burn?

Halogenated organic chemicals
Materials containing heavy metals
Pitch, paint and paint residues and surface coatings
Asbestos
Pathological waste (excluding animal carcasses on production land)
Agrichemicals and agrichemical containers containing residues
Polyvinylchloride (PVC) plastic and plastics containing halogenated material
Copper-chrome-arsenic (CCA) treated timber or timber treated with organochlorine (PCP)
Rubber and tyres
Waste oil and other waste petroleum products including sludge
Sludge from industrial processes
Hazardous materials from contaminated sites and buildings
Materials associated with the recovery of metals from cables
Components of motor vehicles
Tar and bitumen
Any material within a landfill or a refuse transfer station.

Need to report it? Please create a service request or call 111 for a fire emergency.

Report it