Gale force winds wreak havoc around the country

Gale-force winds have brought down trees, lifted roofs and fanned fires throughout central New Zealand over the past 24 hours.

Havelock police issued a travel warning this morning after vicious northwesterlies blew down trees across State Highway 6 in the area.

Constable Graeme Barsanti said police and roading authorities had worked through the night responding to callouts about trees blocking roads.

Meanwhile, in Wellington, the fire service attended 26 callouts overnight, including wind damage from roofs lifting to sheds blowing down.

High winds of more than 130km/h exacerbated three fires in scrub and pine plantations in the Wairarapa, while the Tararua Ranges were doused in 200mm of rain.

In Geraldine, South Canterbury, four fire appliances were called to battle a rural blaze last night, which consumed 80sq metres of hay bales and 100 sq metres of farmland.

Firefighters were also still dampening down hotspots at Waimairi Beach, north Christchurch, where a massive blaze destroyed 15 hectares of trees, scrub and dune tussock on Monday.

Police are investigating after witnesses said they saw a man start the fire.

The MetService said a front moving across the South Island could bring a spell of heavy rain and thunderstorms to the West Coast tomorrow, with more gales in Cook Strait, Wellington and Wairarapa.

Winds and rain should ease on Friday, but Saturday could herald more gales in some eastern areas and heavy rain in Fiordland and Westland.

- NZPA