Blair Shco captured footage of smoke rolling off the island
Seventy-five firefighters are battling the Matakana Island blaze which started more than a week ago.
A Fire and Emergency NZ statement today said firefighters had been managing hot spots identified by drones. While there was little smoke, the fire was still burning deep underground.
The fire on Matakana Island began on December 13. Homes were not currently at risk and the fire had been all forestry.
Firefighters are making good progress and expected to be on scene for at least the next few days, the statement said.
"We are working closely with local iwi on the island."
A plume of smoke rises from a fire on Matakana Island. Photo / File
On Saturday, smoke was seen billowing after the fire jumped a fire break causing it to resurge.
Smoke was seen from around the city, with an Ōtūmoetai resident reporting fine ash falling on his Grange Rd property. On Sunday, two helicopters, three ground crews and two bulldozers were involved in the efforts.
Tauranga resident Rachael Garrett grew up on the island and said watching it burn was "devastating" and a "shock".
Helicopters battling the fire at Matakana Island days after it broke out. Photo / File
Garrett was on the island the day before the initial blaze with her in-laws who she had taken for a drive down the beach and she had mentioned that in all her years there had never been a fire.
"The very next day we had a fire, and that was devastating. I couldn't believe it."
On the Saturday the blaze reignited, and she headed out on the water and looked at where the fire had been the week prior and said there was no smoke.
"From the time it took for me to get from that side of the island, back up Hunter's Creek, all of a sudden there was a whole lot of smoke."
Within 40 minutes, the helicopters had arrived.
"I just found them absolutely amazing ... they were constantly going."
Matakana Island is also the home of the Department of Conservation's dotterel breeding programme.
BTG 21Dec20 - Smoke could be seen on Matakana Island. Photo / Nathan Pettigrew
The dotterel is an endangered small shorebird found only in New Zealand, with only 2500 birds left.
The programme was initially set up in 1992, and has led to more than 300 successfully fledged chicks over that time.
The relative isolation of the island's beaches is a key element in the successful breeding, making it one the country's top breeding sites.
