KEY POINTS:
Firefighters in the lower North Island had a busy night after heavy winds battered the region, knocking down power lines.
Central fire communications shift manager Mike Wanoa said there were two large fires on pine plantations in the Tupurupuru Tewharau area, east of Masterton after 8pm last night.
"They were caused by high velocity winds knocking down power cables. It doesn't take much for them to get going, it's tinder dry out there," Mr Wanoa said.
He said the high winds cause the fire to spread quickly.
Mr Wanoa said it is still at the moment but Metservice is forecasting high winds south of the Hawkes Bay.
"There's still a likelihood that things will happen today but at the present time there's a bit of a lull," he said.
Mr Wanoa said another fire yesterday has destroyed some sheds and a large area of pine trees near Bulls.
He said fire fighters were still at the scene monitoring hot spots. There was another fire near Palmerston North yesterday but it was not as big as the others and has been put out.
