Plumes of black smoke billowing from a rural Carterton fire had been "spectacular" and visible throughout the town yesterday morning.
Carterton Fire Chief Wayne Robinson said the blaze had ignited among a pile of tyres after a worker set fire to nearby rubbish at a dry stock farm on Matarawa Rd about 9.20am.
He said two volunteer crews and a water tanker were scrambled to the site and the blaze was quickly doused. A Wairarapa rural fire officer was also on site and one of the volunteer crews was stood down.
"The young fella who lit the rubbish didn't take the wind into account and the fire got into the tyres as well. There was a wind change," he said.
Firefighters on the way to the fire passed several road travellers who had parked at the side of the nearby State Highway 2 to watch the toxic smoke rise from the blaze, he said.
