Residents living in Waihopai Valley, where a forest fire is raging, have been warned; if there is a change in weather they may have to evacuate their homes.

Firefighters are still at the scene of a dramatic high-rise blaze which ripped a "massive hole" in the side of an office tower in Takapuna.

A man is lucky to be alive thanks to his neighbour thumping on the door of his smoke-filled house after he fell asleep cooking.

One child suffered burns in the face and the other in the stomach in the fire in Auckland.

Trees are in flames in Brighton, near Dunedin, after a controlled burn spread. Source: ODT

Counties Manukau fire safety officers are investigating the blaze of a large house near Mangatawhiri this morning.

Emergency services are working to extinguish a blaze in an industrial building in the Auckland suburb of Ellerslie.

He said up to nine fire engines were on site at the incident's peak, but only two are still there.

Six fire crews and a helicopter are battling a large forestry fire in North Canterbury.

Two people have been injured after a fire broke out at a meat processing plant in Te Aroha.

A smouldering bonfire proved costly for a homeowner after it ignited a land-based 15m trimaran, trees and neighbouring sheds in a backyard in Martinborough, South Wairarapa, this morning. Up to five appliances and two hazmat units from Featherston, Martinborough, Greytown and Rimutaka in Upper Hutt descended on the French St cul-de-sac shortly before 9am to find the boat, sheds and trees well alight and the house under threat. Supplied/Andrew Bonallack

Four fire appliances are battling the blaze at Stonefields, between Remuera and Mt Wellington.

Police said his mother rescued him just in time, seconds from more serious injury.

A large Christchurch fire is being brought under control with those families evacuated as a precaution now back in their homes.

A change in the weather has given firefighters battling a blaze in rural Marlborough a slight reprieve today.

A blaze that ripped through a holiday home in Turangi overnight is being treated as suspicious.

A man was hospitalised after being rescued from a house fire in Whanganui.

The Prime Minister says he has spoken to his son after it emerged Max Key was among hundreds of Kiwis evacuated from a Fijian resort.

Firefighters are continuing to fight a major blaze in Marlborough as hot weather and strong winds add to their concerns.

Firefighters remain at the scene of several blazes in the South Island this morning.

Noel Hendry, 79, of Ruakaka, died in the blaze which engulfed his home on Bream Bay Dr, Ruakaka, near Whangarei, early this morning.

Firefighters battling a large blaze in Marlborough are trying to make the most of a calm period before high winds whip through the area.

An investigation will begin shortly, after firefighters were called to a suburban building fire at 4am today.

Five of the 24 houses in the Waikakaho Valley have been evacuated by Police.

Initially it was thought a child was unaccounted for, but it was later confirmed all the kids from the house were safe.

Firefighters were called out to a rubbish fire in Papakura this afternoon at a site used by the Presbyterian Church.

Crews from three fire trucks are battling the blaze.

A teenage girl suffered burns in a fire in Taihape this evening.

No one was injured in the fire.