Two suspicious fires in two weeks on Karikari Peninsula

Four helicopters were battling the fire at Lake Ohia on Monday afternoon. Photo / file

Firefighters are battling a second suspicious blaze in as many weeks on the Karikari Peninsula.

The fire started in dense scrub beside Tahanga Rd, Lake Ohia, about 12.40pm on Monday.

The Advocate understands the fire was so fierce the first brigade on the scene had to pull back from Tahanga Rd and leave the firefighting to helicopters.

Fire and Emergency NZ (FENZ) Northland commander Wipari Henwood said the blaze was being fanned by a strong northeasterly wind.

It covered about 2ha when the alarm was raised but by 5pm was likely to have spread to 20ha.

The fire, in scrubland next to a Landcorp farm, was being fought by four helicopters late on Monday afternoon.

Two ground crews were on standby but no one was fighting the fire on the ground due to its inaccessibility.

He hoped the choppers could knock the fire down sufficiently to allow heavy machinery and ground crews in.

No properties were in danger but that could change if the wind shifted direction, Henwood said.

The blaze was ''definitely suspicious'', he said.

Police and FENZ investigators were on their way.

The previous fire started in a layby on Inland Rd, opposite Ramp Rd, on the other side of the same Landcorp farm two weeks earlier. It was less than 4km from the latest fire.

That blaze swept through 70ha of conservation land and pasture. The fire on DOC land was extinguished but it continues to burn in underground peat at the farm.

Around 5pm on Monday the Kaikohe Fire Brigade was called to a vegetation fire in Waima Valley, South Hokianga, covering an area of about 150m by 50m. One dwelling was threatened but was being protected by firefighters.