KEY POINTS:
Five high school pupils are being questioned after a fire scorched more than 20ha of scrub land behind Taita College in Lower Hutt.
The pupils were believed to be playing with a lighter that started the fire about 3pm yesterday.
Sergeant Alan Cappleman said five male Taita College pupils aged between 14 and 16 were being questioned.
"They were just lucky it wasn't more windy, then it really would have taken off," he told The Dominion Post.
He would not say if any charges would be laid, but the youths' ages would need to be taken in to account.
Sixteen fire engines, volunteers and two helicopters equipped with monsoon buckets, fought the blaze, which was under control by about 5.30pm.
- NZPA
