Council doesn’t want home owners to wait for weeds or grass to get high and dry before controlling them.

Municipal Fire Prevention Officer Sue Moses said planning now could save a lot of effort and expense later in the season.

“Alternate methods to reduce the growth of grass and weeds can be particularly useful in areas that are hard to access with a mower or slasher,” Ms Moses said.

“Long grass on these sites can result in the need to use a brush-cutter and should you receive a fire prevention notice later in the year, which amounts to either hard physical work or considerable expense if you need to engage a contractor.”

She said winter is the ideal time to plan your pre-summer clean-up by clearing hazardous vegetation and flammable items from around the house, cleaning gutters and preparing a good fire and emergency plan.