Strong winds hampering Thames fire effort

Firefighters get amongst the burning blaze at Carter Holt Harvey's Kopine Mill near Thames last night. The fire is under control this morning. Photo/Thames Volunteer Fire Brigade.

Strong winds are hampering efforts to contain timber fires in Coromandel.

Fifty firefighters are battling multiple blazes at the Carter Holt Harvey mill at Kopu, near Thames.

Crews faced a chilly night with potentially hazardous gusty southwesterlies.

Fire and Emergency shift manger Daniel Nicholson says the weather made a serious situation even more serious as multiple large fires burned through timber, recycled materials, large amounts of wood shavings and bark.

A truck and trailer unit got caught up in the blaze last night. Photo/Thames Volunteer Fire Brigade.

Fire crews battled strong winds to bring the fire under control. Photo/TVFB

Nicholson says fire crews are likely to remain at the mill for much of the day.

The fire broke out about 9.20pm.

Call #100: Mill fire near Kopu, from Tues 10/4 & Wed 11/4. (Pics credit: RFF Rick Watson) -AG-

Posted by Thames Volunteer Fire Brigade on Tuesday, 10 April 2018