Firefighters urge caution as rural burnoffs get under way in Northland 19 May, 2021 05:00 PM 5 minutes to read Fire and Emergency deputy principal rural fire officer Michael Champtaloup. Photo / Donna Russell Northern Advocate (Whangarei) By: Donna Russell Pillars of smoke swirling around Northland show the open fire season has begun as landowners tidy their properties. However, the summer drought conditions have left a moisture deficit in several areas of Northland and firefighters have been kept busy with callouts. Fire and Emergency deputy principal rural fire officer Michael Champtaloup urged landowners to take extra care, especially in the west and Far North. "It's what farmers call a green drought. The public sees green grass and think it's okay to set fires but it is still quite dry underneath," he said.