Lake Ohau blaze: Dunedin man 'happy to be at a distance'

The remains of one of the many homes destroyed by this morning's fire which ripped through Lake Ohau. Photo / Supplied

Dunedin resident Andy Winneke saw "dramatic" views across Lake Ohau of huge destructive fires that destroyed many houses at the township.

At least 20 houses have been damaged or destroyed and hundreds of residents evacuated in a massive forest and vegetation blaze which ripped through the idyllic spot during the early hours of this morning.

"It was pretty dramatic. It was pretty clear there was going to be trouble getting out on the road," Winneke said.

Winneke, his wife Lisa and children Angus and Georgia had initially travelled to the area on Friday, hoping to ski at Ohau, but the skifield was closed by high winds yesterday.

They had camped last night at Round Hill, about 5km across the lake and north of the township, but got little sleep because of high winds, gusting more than 100km/h.

He had had to get up to rope down the caravan to prevent it from being blown over by the "very strong northwesterlies".

"We had a fairly sleepless night."

"I got up and tied down the caravan."

About 4.30am he had seen views of fires blazing right across the lake foreshore to the south, and the family had later driven past close to the township on their way out of the area.

They had later this morning seen from a distance about six houses that had been destroyed by the fire, as they had driven near the township.

Winneke, who was born and grew up in Melbourne, said the "bleak, black" landscape he had seen while leaving was "reminiscent of Australia".

Many firefighters were in the area.

It was remarkable how many houses had survived the fire, despite the blaze having burned very close to them on several sides, and including at the lakefront.

"Those associated with taller trees, conifers, they seemed to have been more affected."

Winneke, who shifted to New Zealand in 1987, said that, given the ferocity of the fires, he and his family members were grateful they had been some distance away when they had seen it.

"I was happy to be at a distance.

"It would have been quite disturbing for the locals [in the township]," he said.

During the night, he had seen not only fires burning close to and in the township, but had also seen several large waterspouts, up to 50m high, whipped up by the "extremely strong" winds and moving south down the lake.

There had later been a police presence at the intersection of Lake Ohau Rd and State Highway 8, Omarama to Twizel, but police had waved the holidaymakers through as they left the area this morning, he said.