A fire is well alight in Koutu this afternoon.
A nearby resident said she saw fire engines and "heaps of black smoke billowing over the reserve".
She said it smelled like rubber.
A fire communications shift manager said it was a garden shed fire on Koutu Rd.
"We got the call at 1.50pm and are at the scene, it is well alight."
The owner of the property who wanted to remain anonymous said she thought it was food steaming.
"I've got my kai cooking and I saw steam coming through the sitting room. I thought it was my pot then I came out and saw flames.
"Everyone off the road stopped and was throwing water at it."
The woman said it was lucky there wasn't anything important in the garage and the fire hadn't spread.
She said she didn't know what could have caused it.
Station officer Dean Irwin said multiple calls were received about 1.50pm.
He said the cause was unknown and fire investigators would be looking into it.
The fire was fully involved when they arrived.
Rotorua initiative gifts 10 whānau new bikes for Christmas, fostering community joy.