New satellite imagery reveals the extent of the devastation caused by the fires that raged across 2000ha of Christchurch's Port Hills last week.
The fire began as two blazes on the afternoon of February 13: the first one in Lansdowne on Early Valley Rd, and a second one that started in a car park near Marleys Hill, off Summit Rd.
Two days later, they had combined into one large inferno, a state of emergency was declared and about 450 houses were evacuated.
Civil Defence Christchurch controller, John Mackie, described it as "beyond anything we've ever had to deal with".
According to the last online updates from the Christchurch City Council, most of the fire is now under control, the last major cordon for residents has been lifted and most evacuees returned home.
