Rain not enough to dampen Marlborough fire

Firefighters say they're winning the battle against the huge Marlborough blaze but there's still a lot to do before homes in the area are safe.

A break from hot, windy weather had sucked some energy out of the fire but dozens of firefighters were returning today to continue the operation.

"We haven't got the same winds we had yesterday. That was just horrendous," said Richard 'Mac' McNamara, Marlborough Kaikoura Rural Fire Authority general manager.

"We've had about 3mm of rain overnight and that's not much but the temperature's dropped."

Tankers, helicopters and water-bomber planes took part in the firefighting effort yesterday where the blaze raged near Onamalutu, outside Renwick.

One helicopter crashed but nobody was injured.

The pilot of helicopter involved in fighting a fire in Marlborough today had a lucky escape after his machine crashed. Photo / Supplied by NZ Police

Mr McNamara said helicopters would again join the 60-odd firefighters to make sure areas where the blaze had died down didn't break out in flames again.

'Mac' said he would talk to the "air attack guys" later today to discuss the operation but it was hoped the firefighters would not again need to use a water-bombing plane.

It was important, he said, to use the favourable weather to consolidate yesterday's hard-fought gains.

"We're securing gains around property and homes. And the helicopters will be back on and used when needed to control significant portions of the perimeter as we move round the whole fire...hopefully we'll get that containment and control in place today."

The degree of damage to vegetation varied - some areas were "burnt right through" - but others not so badly affected, Mr McNamara said.

Most of the burnt area was forest, mainly some immature pines but also mature pines and eucalyptus. However, scrub and dry grass on the valley floor were also scorched.

Mr McNamara said it would take days, even weeks, to totally extinguish the fire and any remaining embers and the area remained combustible.

"There's gonna be a lot of heat and energy left in this fire...All we need is for wind and temperatures to come back up and we'll be away again."