Fire ban flouted twice in day keeping crews busy

Despite a total fire ban in the Wairarapa rural fire district two fires were lit in Martinborough yesterday.

Martinborough and Featherston firefighters were called to a large rubbish fire on Pukio East Rd just before 3pm.

The farm fire included a tractor tyre and some plastic wrap from hay bales.

Featherston chief fire officer Colin McKenna said the fire had been in a pit and had caused a lot of smoke. "There's still a total fire ban [so] there shouldn't be any fires at all," Mr McKenna said.

It took two trucks with about eight firefighters to put out the blaze.

"But it didn't require that many people," he said.

The second fire that firefighters were called to in Martinborough was on Grey St.

Featherston and Martinborough fire brigades were called to the scene just after 4pm.

Wellington fire communications said the fire was a small bonfire and that the owner was ordered to put it out with a garden hose.