Power lines suspected cause of fire

CLOSE CALL: A firecrew arrived just in time to fight off a grass fire in rural Masterton. PHOTO/VOMLE SPRINGFORD

An electrical explosion may have sparked a grass fire that scorched the corner of a West Bush Rd farm just after noon on Sunday.

Firecrews were alerted by a resident who heard "a loud explosion" and they arrived just in time to stop the blaze from spreading, said Masterton Station Officer Mike Cornford.

"It's just a little grass fire that's gone through the flax and trees, it started to take off when we got here but we got it under control."

Mr Cornford said because of the noise heard they thought the powerlines overhead may have caused the fire but, upon investigation, they could not see any problems with the lines.

"It might be some form of electrical explosion, Powerco will be having a look.

"It does seem a little unusual."

Two fire trucks had to be called to the scene to deal with the flax bushes as they were more difficult to put out, said Mr Cornford.

He said Wairarapa firecrews were expecting to attend more and more call-outs.

"It's getting really dry now, particularly the last two weeks. Summer is a lot busier, we suddenly get a lot more miscellaneous fires, grass fires."