Hutt Valley scrub fire definitely 'human-caused'

Photo / APN

A scrub fire which lit up the Hutt Valley last night is believed to have been deliberately set.

The blaze, on top of a hill close to the Lower Hutt suburb of Waterloo, broke out around 7.45pm.

Two teenagers have been questioned by police in relation to the fire, TV One reported.

Wellington area deputy rural fire officer Jock Darragh said the blaze was "definitely a human-caused fire".

He estimated it spread across 2.5-3 hectares at its height, but said his team would make a more thorough aerial assessment today.

Despite the flames being visible from across the Hutt Valley and reports that local residents were worried about it threatening their homes, Mr Darragh said it had not reached that level of danger.

"It wasn't that big, it was a little fire really," he said this morning, adding that it had not caused any threat to local homes.

"It was very still, it was travelling very slow at the top of a hill where fires naturally go to.

"It was cooler and damper, so it was a very quiet fire. We didn't need to have helicopters, the ground crews went into it and put it out."

The blaze was contained by about 11pm, he said.

He said reports the fire was akin to Australian bushfires were greatly exaggerated.

"It was the flames, they looked spectacular, but the reality was it was a benign little fire at the top of a hill," he said.

"We had that many resources there it wasn't going anywhere."

Ten appliances were sent to the scene.