KEY POINTS:
Department of Conservation (DOC) firefighters are today dampening hot spots at the site of two major South Island scrub fires.
North Otago crews were working in a private plantation after fire threatened a 100-hectare scenic reserve, and Canterbury DOC staff were dousing a blaze in a pine plantation near Rakaia, 58km southwest of Christchurch.
Firefighters were called to a blaze in the Tulliemet Rd plantation at Herbert, 21km southwest of Oamaru, about 2.30pm yesterday.
Eleven water tankers, four helicopters and fire crews from DOC and the Fire Service managed to gain control of the blaze.
DOC Otago spokesman John Gordon told NZPA three crews, two water tankers and a helicopter equipped with a monsoon bucket were at the site dampening hot spots and ensuring the fire didn't spread to the Glencoe Scenic Reserve, just 1km away.
A bulldozer had built a fire break between the plantation and the reserve, and a heavy digger was exposing underground embers.
Mr Gordon said the Glencoe reserve contained a large amount of podocarp remnant "which is well worth protecting" and a school campsite near the fire site.
Meanwhile, four DOC fire crews involving about 30 personnel have contained a scrub blaze that began yesterday afternoon in a pine plantation near Rakaia.
The fire started in scrub at the riverbed in Acton Rd, about a kilometre from the Rakaia River bridge - the longest bridge in the country at 1.75km.
Senior DOC fire officer Tony Teeling told NZPA the fire had been contained, but was still burning at its centre.
Crews were working to extinguish hot spots.
- NZPA
