Callers say it's smelly and smoky

It's getting smellier out there, say Horizons Regional Council compliance officers as they have been inundated with calls about bad odours and smoky fires.

Almost half the environmental incidents recorded by Horizons in the past two months have been related to air and include bad smells and heavy smoke. They have been reported to Horizons' pollution hotline or noted by its compliance staff.

Forty complaints about air quality were received.

"While it's high, it is normal for this time of year for there to be more fires," said Horizons communications manager Caroline Rowe.

"People are often doing cleanups around their properties and they tend to get things sorted out before any fire bans come into force during the drier season."

Mrs Rowe also said that with daylight saving people had more time, were out later and so were more likely to notice things burning.

While most of the smell complaints were in rural areas, reports of fires tended to be in urban areas where they caused the most inconvenience.

A report to be tabled at tomorrow's environment committee meeting states that most urban fire complaints come from Horowhenua, so Horizons has contracted a local security company to respond.

It is illegal to burn waste in an urban area.

In rural areas there should be no offensive smoke or odour that crosses property boundaries and smoke must not affect visibility on roads or for aircraft.

Mrs Rowe said anyone who had rubbish they wished to burn should be familiar with their city or district council bylaws.

"That way they know what they can burn and where they can burn it," she said.

- © Fairfax NZ News