THE Tasmania Fire Service has urged farmers to be vigilant against the threat of fire during hot, dry and windy conditions this week. Acting deputy Northern regional chief John Hazzlewood said large parts of the Midlands, Fingal Valley and coastal regions were extremely dry and posed serious fire dangers. A statewide fire ban was declared on Tuesday, which made it an offence to use any machinery or equipment that could cause a spark or flame in the open air. This ban included machinery with heated parts, such as engines and exhausts, that could come in contact with dry vegetation. It also extended to machinery for harvesting, mowing, cutting and slashing dry materials such as poppies, grass and cereal crops. Mr Hazzlewood said while further total fire bans were unlikely at the weekend, the risk of fires was still significant. "People in rural parts of the state really need to manage that risk," he said. "Most farmers will pull the pin during this extreme heat and wind. "We can only thank people for their support in not doing anything silly during these conditions." Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers Association chief executive Jan Davis said the ultimate responsibility for activities on their properties rested with farmers. "Farmers need to be aware there are significant penalties for anyone not adhering to the restrictions," Ms Davis said. Mr Hazzlewood acknowledged fire bans affected harvesting. "We do try to minimise the effect it has on farmers, but at the same time we are just trying to minimise any potential dangers," he said. "We also need more people, particularly farmers in coastal regions, to establish bushfire plans ready to put in place during emergencies," he said. People should monitor the ABC or visit www.fire.tas.gov.au for updates.