New Zealand's dual insurance system has been deemed inefficient by a leading insurance company, following the Canterbury earthquakes.

Four years on, private insurers say they have settled 57 per cent of residential insurance claims over the Earthquake Commission’s $100,000 “cap”.

A number of people were evicted from the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 opening match at North Hagley Park in Christchurch yesterday for courtsiding.

This southern town's alpine landscape keeps Elisabeth Easther busy and enthralled.

A medium-adverse drought event will be declared and a Government assistance package announced in the South Island today.

Police divers searching for a woman who did not surface from a crayfish dive at the weekend have found a body.

"It's a little unusual to say the least." A teen's been left "shaken" after he disturbed an armed intruder trying to set fire to a couch in his Fairlie home.

Hundreds of firefighters are battling large scrub blazes as dry weather has created tinderbox conditions across the country, the Fire Service says. Blazes in Canterbury, Marlborough and Manawatu are keeping about 330 firefighters busy.

Minutes after an inferno ripped across a tinder-dry paddock behind her Christchurch home, Julia Walker thought she was going to die.

Some residents are re-entering their homes in the Christchurch suburb of Hei Hei as firefighters continue to dampen down areas razed by a large fire today.

Four people have been taken to hospital following a collision between an articulated truck and three cars waiting for roadworks on SH1 near Hinds this morning.

A large grass fire has forced the closure of State Highway in Canterbury.

A number of people chose not to attend Canterbury recovery boss Roger Sutton's farewell bash yesterday.

A scrub fire that spread across 330ha of the Southern Alps may have started in separate areas, police said yesterday as firefighters battled to bring the blaze under control.

Two men were injured after a truck rolled in Canterbury yesterday.

A woman was winched off Mt Sebastopol yesterday after becoming stuck on the mountain during a day hike.

As hot, dry weather threatens to create a drought, farmers are preparing for the worst.

A father whose baby died in suspicious circumstances more than four months ago is furious detectives have still not told him how his son died.

Farmers and rural householders are being warned about starting fires after a "crazy" seven hours by South Island firefighters tackling small rural blazes today.

A man has died in a car crash near Fairlie in Canterbury this morning.

There are aspects of playing rugby that are not dissimilar to coaching. I believe in leading people by making sure that I have a connection with everyone I am involved with and giving them the trust and belief to do their job well.

A plantation fire that blazed through Pines Beach in north Canterbury yesterday is being treated as suspicious.

Firefighters have managed to contain a large plantation fire north of Christchurch which at its peak saw the evacuation of 40 nearby homes.

Scorching temperatures left holidaymakers sweltering on the last day of the summer break for many, with icecream-melting highs in the mid-30s in Canterbury yesterday.

As temperatures soar above 30C across parts of the country, so has demand for firefighters as tinder-dry conditions create the perfect environment for forest and scrub fires.