Rare plants and animals destroyed in Far North fire

A fire in one of New Zealand's most significant wetland areas has been contained - but not before destroying some of the rare and valuable plants and animals, the Department of Conservation (DOC) says.

A fire began about 1.15pm yesterday on Kaimaumau Rd and by 8pm had destroyed 200ha of the DOC-owned Kaimaumau wetland reserve, about 24km northwest of Kaitaia.

After battling the blaze for hours firefighters left the area about 8pm because of access difficulties, but foam and water continued to be dropped by helicopter, and DOC workers spent the night fighting the fire.

DOC Kaitaia's community relations officer Carolyn Smith told NZPA this morning the fire had been contained.

"We have ground crews mopping up, just hosing the area down and working with hand tools," she said.

"The water tables are really good so we're cautiously optimistic."

But the news was not so good for the habitat of the reserve, which was "a very significant wetland area", she said.

"Internationally wetlands are very valuable because they are under threat from land development," she said.

"This area up here is a wetland gumfield area in the Far North sand dune area," she said.

"It's home to a number of rare and endemic native species such as the mudfish -- which is extremely rare -- green geckos, fern birds, native orchids and other ferns. So there's a lot of very valuable plants and animals."

The extent of the damage was not yet known, she said.

"The reserve is 3000ha and 200ha have been burned, so it is a loss but in proportion.

"We won't know what the result is until after everything is settled down and we can go in and have a look."

Northland Fire Service volunteer support officer Colin Kitchen said the cause of the blaze was not known but would be investigated.

Two other fires were burning in the Far North this morning.

* An 80-metre scrub fire reported on Kohumaru Rd, 10km south of Mangonui at about 1am

* A fire reported on Oruru Rd in Peria about 5.30am.

The fires come as Northland councils impose restrictions on outdoor fires after a rise in scrub blazes.

Whangarei, Kaipara and the Far North districts enter a restricted fire season at midnight on Friday.

- NZPA