KEY POINTS:
A series of scrub fires in and around Christchurch was stretching firefighting resources as Canterbury baked in hot and gusty northwesterly conditions this afternoon.
Traffic was being diverted from one of Christchurch main thoroughfares around central Hagley Park while firefighters battled a grass fire near the old stock saleyards in Deans Ave as smoke billowed across the city.
Fire Service communications centre shift manager Jan Wills said five pumps involving about 20 firefighters were at the scene.
Three tankers and three pump units were also tackling a scrub fire that had set trees ablaze at the Stables Racecourse in Yaldhurst Rd.
Two other scrub fires were being fought in North Canterbury.
Ms Wills said strong northwesterly winds were fanning a fire behind Rangiora, 27km north of Christchurch, near the Ashley Riverbed.
She said firefighters appeared to be gaining the upper hand in dousing a large fire that spread over five paddocks, a shelterbelt and into a plantation of trees near Swannanoa, 27km northwest of Christchurch.
At one stage two helicopters were lifting water from the local school swimming pool using their monsoon buckets, but one helicopter had since been stood down and some fire appliances were being released from that incident.
Resources were becoming "just a tad" stretched, Ms Wills told NZPA.
Flames were being fanned by a 40 knot northwesterly in temperatures reaching the high 20s.
"We've had to move appliances around a bit to provide our usual coverage," Ms Wills said.
The causes of the fires were unknown.
- NZPA
