Police looking for car seen near Hanmer blaze

Police are looking for a white car seen near a scrub fire which closed State Highway 7 overnight near Hanmer Springs in North Canterbury.

Inspector Bryan Buck said police were interested in sightings of the car seen "acting suspiciously" in the area of the fire around 8pm last night.

SH7 to Lewis Pass was closed from the Hanmer turnoff around 9pm yesterday.

The fire covered about an acre of Department of Conservation land, either side of SH7, west of the Hanmer Springs turnoff, a fire spokesman said yesterday.

Although no property or lives were at risk, it was "certainly causing concern".

- NZPA