Firefighters battle large blaze

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Firefighters are battling a large forest fire near Matakana.

Witnesses are reporting two helicopters with monsoon buckets are attending the fire in the Dome Valley, 10 kilometres north of Warkworth.

Five pumps and two water tankers also went to the scene after the alarm was raised at 4.30pm, but were struggling to reach the fire, Northern Fire Communications shift manager Steve Smith said.

"It's extremely rugged and they're having real difficulty getting in there.''

By late this evening the fire had grown to cover over eight hectares.