Two serious fires down south overnight

Two serious fires in the South Island overnight. Photo / File

A large scrub fire has been blazing for most of the night in a coastal area north of Christchurch.

It was one of two serious fires in the South Island overnight.

The Fire Service were called out to the hectare-sized fire at Pines Beach near Kaiapoi about 11.20pm and worked through the night, shift commander Brent Dunn said.

It was now under control but the crews were still working on putting the fire out, he said.

There was no obvious cause of the fire and a rural fire investigator will be on the scene later today.

"At the moment we're in dampening down mode. The crews will be there for a while longer. They won't start investigating until it's light."

Two fire crews also attended a fire which started in a laundry of a Linwood property at 4.50am.

The area of the house was "well ablaze" when the crews arrived but has since been put out, Mr Dunn said.

The Fire Service was concerned about the cause of the fire and a fire investigator would be sent out this morning, he said.

"It has been deemed as suspicious," Mr Dunn said.