Last cordons lifted in areas affected by Tasman district fire but drought remains

​The remaining controlled-access cordons have been lifted in areas affected by the 2300ha Tasman district fire.
Those cordons – in Teapot, Eves and Redwood valleys – were lifted at 6pm on Sunday.
* Tasman region drought sees severe water restrictions put in place for Dovedale * Irrigation ban for parts of Tasman as urban residents urged to halve water use * Households urged to cut water use by half as Tasman district drought bites * Severe water restrictions to bite as drought could cost over $100 million "We’ve had 5mm of rain this morning but with no follow-up rain expected in the near future, the fire risk across the region will continue to be extreme," he said.
"Please stay prepared to evacuate should the need arise."
Advertise with Stuff As of Sunday afternoon, the fire was contained and controlled with a 30m boundary fire break around the entire perimeter.
People were reminded that a machinery ban directive was still in place, as was the State of Emergency, and parks and reserves in the Nelson-Tasman region were still closed.
Meanwhile, the rain that fell on Sunday was no drought breaker for the tinder-dry Tasman district.
Council Dry Weather Task Force convener Dennis Bush-King on Monday said between half and 20mm of rain fell across the district including 4mm to 8mm on the Waimea Plains.
"It wasn’t enough to soak into the ground," Bush-King said.
The Motupiko water zone would instead remain on stage-four restrictions – a 65 per cent cut in allocations.

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