Suspicious scrub fire in Northland town

File photo / NZH

A fire which has spread over nearly half a hectare of scrub in a Northland town is being treated as suspicious.

Firefighters were called about 3pm to Ruakaka, 29km southeast of Whangarei, to the blaze, estimated to be about 0.4ha at its peak.

"We've got 10 appliances on hand at the moment," Fire Service northern communications centre shift manager Mau Barbara told NZPA.

"It was threatening a pine plantation at one point, though we haven't heard that it was endangering any houses."

Mr Barbara said it looked as if the fire had been deliberately lit.

- NZPA