Fire and Emergency contain large vegetation fire in Porirua’s Spinnaker Reserve

• A large vegetation fire is burning in Spinnaker Reserve, Whitby.
• Fire and Emergency says the fire was contained before it could reach nearby homes.
• A restricted fire season was declared for Porirua and Kāpiti Coast yesterday.

A large vegetation fire in Porirua has been contained before it could reach nearby homes.

Some homes were evacuated as a precaution after the blaze broke out in Spinnaker Reserve, Whitby, about 1.40pm, Fire and Emergency said.

At 2.30pm, the fire was estimated to be 480 sq m in size, but by 3.15pm the department confirmed it had not become any larger and they had stopped it from reaching houses on nearby Mercury Way.

“There are currently 14 crews on site, working to extinguish the fire completely,” they said.

“The cause of the fire is not yet known, but it will be investigated.

“Outdoor fires are restricted in this area, which means a permit would have been required before a fire could be lit.”

People are asked to stay away from the area, so trucks can get through.

There is some smoke in the area, so those nearby should keep their windows closed, Fire and Emergency warned.

Whitby resident Ethan Oliver told RNZ he arrived home about 2pm and noticed people in the street watching a “big puff of smoke up over the hills”.

He said the fire was “pretty close” to his house and he saw a big plume of smoke and fire curling up the bases of some trees in Spinnaker Reserve — about 2 metres in height.

“It wasn’t like a big fire bank or anything, but it was just starting to get going. I was like, oh okay well, hopefully the boys get here and sort it out.”

The fire happened a day after the restricted fire season was declared in Porirua and the Kāpiti Coast.

“It’s been really hot the past couple of days, so it would have been a tinderbox back there,” Oliver said.

A restricted fire season means anyone who wants to light an outdoor fire must go to checkitsalright.nz and apply for a fire permit authorised by Fire and Emergency.

A fire has broken out in Spinnaker Reserve in Whitby this afternoon. Image / Google Maps

District manager Brett Lockyer said Porirua and the Kāpiti Coast had become extremely dry since the beginning of the year.

“Although there has been a bit of rain in the last couple of days, we still have a lot of very dry vegetation on the west side of the district, which could easily catch fire.”

Wellington is currently experiencing gusts of up to 72km/h. MetService says the capital will have strong northerlies today but they will be easing by this evening.