Fire destroyed 1500ha of rural property

It was confirmed the fire was started from a controlled burn. Photo / File

A fire which threatened a home and destroyed 1500ha of mainly scrub, tussock and forestry near Hyde over the weekend, was started by a controlled burn.

The Fire Service was called to a fire at a rural property near Hyde at 6pm on Friday, which had threatened a home and the nearby Blakely Pacific's forest block plantation.

Dunedin City Council principal rural fire officer Graeme Still said at its peak around 40 rural firefighters, forestry company and six helicopters battled the large blaze.

One property home owner was asked to "sleep somewhere else", after fire threatened their property on Friday night, he said.

He confirmed the fire was started from a controlled burn, and that could form the subject of a later investigation.

Mr Still estimated the affected area to be around 1500ha of mainly tussock and scrub, with up to 50ha of a private forestry block and 25ha of the Blakely's block destroyed in the blaze.

The area presented few difficulties for firefighters as it "was relatively straightforward", and the fire was brought under control by Saturday afternoon.

"We are just digging down all the hotspots, and will be here for a few more days.

He praised local farmers for their assistance.