Fire crews battle a huge scrub fire on the Port Hills, Christchurch
A house has been destroyed and others are under threat as two major fires burn out of control in the Port Hills of Christchurch.
Helicopters with monsoon buckets and dozens of firefighters have been battling the fires, one in the Summit Rd area and the second in the Early Valley Rd and Old Tai Tapu Rd area, south-west of the central city, since early this evening.
Earlier, one of the fires narrowly missed a house.
But Southern Fire Communications' shift manager Lyn Crosson confirmed just before 11pm a home in the Early Valley Rd area had been lost. Two sheds had also been destroyed.
Several other houses were also threatened by that fire, as was the Airways Radar, Crosson said.
Helicopters fighting both fires had now landed for the night, but firefighters remained on the scene.
In the Summit Rd fire, residents from Summit Rd had been evacuated, she said.
Earlier, the fire service reported eight fire engines, four tankers, one command unit and four helicopters were trying to bring the blaze under control.
The weather and terrain were making it spread further.
Photo / Joe Morgan
Newstalk ZB's Samantha Olley was on nearby Kennedy's Bush Rd and said firefighters managed to save a house.
Much of the property was surrounded by burnt scrub and trees, she said.
Several people have posted photos of the fires on social media.
Fire crews and 3 helicopters are battling to control a huge fire that broke out on the Port Hills south of Christchurch this evening #firepic.twitter.com/fh77SJ6fyI
