Wairarapa fire warning in wake of blazes

Rural Wairarapa residents have been warned to be vigilant about the weather when lighting rubbish fires or controlled burns and must ensure blazes are fully extinguished once complete.

Unattended cooking and wind-blown sparks from controlled fires have ignited several blazes in Wairarapa in the past few days.

Masterton fire station officer Mike Cornford said the risks involved in both scenarios had played out in the town this week since a man in Vogel Cres left a cooking pan of hot oil unattended about 12pm on Sunday.

The pan burst into flame and set fire to a wall and the kitchen ceiling, causing extensive fire and smoke damage, and smoke sensors in the house were useless as the batteries were flat.

"There were children home at the time and it was a perfect example of why people should never leave cooking unattended and why smoke alarms should be fitted and functioning."

He said a fire also had erupted over a 150sq m area under gum and pine trees at a Miki Miki property on Monday, lit by sparks drifting from an earlier rubbish fire that had re-ignited after being put out.

Sparks from a controlled burn on a Carterton farm had likewise ignited a nearby pine tree in blustery winds yesterday morning, according to Carterton fire chief Wayne Robinson.

A single fire engine and the town water tanker were sent to the scene of the blaze on Anderson's Line shortly before 11am, he said, and the fire was doused within 25 minutes.

Mr Cornford said rural residents need to be vigilant about the weather when lighting rubbish fires or controlled burns and must ensure blazes are fully extinguished once complete.