Reserve land destroyed as wind fans fire

A team of firefighters remained at the saltmarsh to dampen hotspots yesterday afternoon. Picture / Alan Gibson

A fire fanned by wind destroyed 2ha of a harbourside saltmarsh reserve in Tauranga yesterday.

Twenty-four firefighters battled 3m flames as the fire spread across dry vegetation at the entrance to Tauranga Harbour's Waimapu Estuary.

Residents had tried to stop the flames with garden hoses and firefighters were forced to stretch hoses through private properties to get to the saltmarsh.

Deputy chief fire officer Graeme Easton said initial concerns were that the fire would spread to houses on College Pl, which overlooks the east side of the estuary.

"But then we had a wind change and we were concerned it was going to jump the waterway."

A crew was stationed on the west, city side of the reserve in case the fire spread, while the rest of the firefighters spread out across the saltmarsh.

The worst of the blaze was brought under control by 1pm but one crew remained until late afternoon to dampen down hot spots.

Retiree Denys McCracken, who lives in the area and called 111 after seeing the rapid spread of the fire, said: "It'll [vegetation] grow like mad now it's all burnt off."