Fire crews from across the region have spent hours battling a large scrub blaze "at least the size of a rugby field".
It has prompted a local rural fire officer to remind people of the very high fire risk status in place in the region.
Emergency services were called to the fire, which engulfed about 25 metres by 50m of scrub off State Highway 30, near Lake Rotoiti, about 10.50am yesterday.
Rotorua fire service Senior Station Officer Jim Prescott said more than six fire crews attended the blaze, including two from Rotorua, the West Rotoiti Volunteer Fire Brigade and the Lake Okareka Rural Fire Force.
Because fire crews needed to access a water supply on the other side of the highway, the road was temporarily blocked so firefighters could drag a hose across the road.