A total fire ban will come into force across the Far North from noon today as continued dry weather sends the fire risk soaring.

Burning cowpats proved problematic at a large grass fire in Te Hauke, south of Hastings.

Fire chiefs are angry the army will start live firing again today at the scene of last week's big blaze at West Melton in Canterbury.

Fire danger in rural Wairarapa is rising and water restrictions are tightening ahead of the hottest, driest days of the year.

Fire crews on Great Barrier Island will be using thermal imaging gear this morning to probe for hot spots on their containment lines.

A teenager accused of burning down a family home on Christmas Day has spoken for the first time.

Arsonists and "idiots" defied fire bans yesterday as at least five suspicious fires stretched firefighters to the limit.

As most Kiwis embrace the warm, dry weather, firefighters are racing to control fires that have ignited in tinder-dry areas.

A scrub fire is the latest in a series which have prompted Auckland Council to impose a complete fire ban on the region.

While firefighters yesterday continued to battle huge blazes in Victoria, floods swept through Queensland, shutting down roads, railways and airports as former cyclone Oswald inundated coastal regions.

A suspicious blaze that destroyed 200ha of scrub, bush and forestry on the Pouto Peninsula also wiped out vulnerable indigenous flora and fauna.

A truck driver was unaware his moving trailer had been engulfed in flames until he heard a loud explosion and looked in his rear-view mirror.

Auckland Council has announced a complete fire ban for the region, including Great Barrier, Kawau, Waiheke and the other Hauraki Gulf islands.

A large bush fire has caused a landslip that has closed a road between Papakura and Hunua Township, south of Auckland today.

Eric Bell has a message for anyone having a late night cook-up - don't go to bed with an element still on.

A staff member at the Doha daycare centre where New Zealand triplets died called her husband saying "no one will help" as she tried to evacuate children, a court has heard.

The army has apologised but denies it was reckless after two fires were started on the same day during separate training exercises in hot, dry conditions.

Fire crews are optimistic they have gained the upper hand over a huge blaze that has been burning on Great Barrier Island throughout the week.

New fires are burning on Great Barrier Island as firefighters work to strengthen containment lines with controlled vegetation burnoffs.

The Defence Force is battling a blaze in bushland at the Waiouru Military Camp in the central North Island, which started during a live fire exercise yesterday.