Canterbury fires continue to burn

Smoke from the Waimate fire yesterday. Photo / Alex Fensome, Oamaru Mail

Canterbury firefighters continue to battle two major fires in the region, but both blazes are under control, the Fire Service says.

Fifty firefighters, including crews from Southland and Northland, along with two helicopters are working to contain a large fire in Waimate in South Canterbury, which ignited Tuesday afternoon and later spread into forest. The fire has so far damaged over 178 hectares of gorse and native vegetation. Also at risk is 120ha of 29-year-old forest.

"The fire is currently contained within constructed firelines and grazed paddocks," South Canterbury Rural Fire principal officer Rob Hands said today.

Overnight crews had been confronted with several "flaring hotspots" but helicopters had helped put them out at first light.

Weather today was "still and clear" and he expected northeasterly winds with a possibility of northwesterlies in the evening.

He said a thermal camera would assess the area tomorrow morning.

Police closed State Highway 82 between Hodges Road and Parkers Bush Road, in Waimate, due to the blaze. High winds and heat having set off a spate of fires from Invercargill to North Canterbury.

In North Canterbury, a large scrub and pine fire is still burning near Amberley at Leithfield Beach, 40km north east of Christchurch.

Yesterday it forced the evacuation of two households.

About 20 rural firefighters battled the blaze overnight, with at least 10 more firefighters joining the crew today, Christchurch Fire Service area commander Dan Coward told NZPA.

The fire covered 25ha including 20-year-old pine trees, he said.

Four helicopters were brought in yesterday to help put out the blaze and would probably be used again today, he said.

"Today's focus is on extinguishing the fire - overnight the focus was on containment," he said.

"It's under control in the sense that we've got containment lines in place, we know the area that has burnt or is burning and are able to work on that without it currently spreading."

Canterbury firefighters late yesterday afternoon contained another fire near Rolleston, 22km south west of Christchurch.

The blaze threatened nearby properties and several houses had to be evacuated by police before it was contained.

No injuries have been reported in any of the fires.

- NZPA

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