Northland's tinder-dry conditions caused a quad bike fire to extend into a blaze which threatened homes and which took four fire crews and two helicopters to extinguish.

An elderly woman who was trapped and killed in a Wellington house fire will be formally identified in a post-mortem examination today.

A Wanganui fireman is now heading the country's firefighters union and says he wants to develop much closer and clearer relationships with the Fire Service on his watch.

Fire destroyed more than 3ha of land and threatened homes in two separate Bay of Plenty blazes - one of which is believed to have been deliberately lit.

Three houses worth a total of almost $2.5 million in the Auckland suburb of Westmere will have to be rebuilt after an arson attack on one being renovated.

A large scrub fire in the Cashmere Hills above Christchurch could be seen clearly from the city overnight.

Terrified neighbours have spoken of explosions and flames leaping metres in the air as a suspicious fire ripped through three houses in a leafy Auckland suburb last night.

Firefighters have contained a blaze at Carter Holt Harvey's largest pulp and paper mill in Waikato this morning.

Emergency services have been called to a fire at a Rotorua paint shop early this morning where one person has been hospitalised.

Two women had to run for their lives after the car they were in burst into flames and started a 2000sq m scrub fire that threatened homes in Welcome Bay.

Dozens of firefighters continue to battle a large scrub fire burning north of Auckland since Saturday.

A Taumarunui man has been charged with arson over two fires on a rural Kakahi property last week.

Firefighters are battling steep terrain and limited water supplies to contain a large scrub fire near a pine forest in Dome Valley north of Auckland this afternoon.

A helicopter pilot needed medical treatment for ash in his eyes as firefighters battled a massive forest fire last night.

Firefighters battle a large forest fire north of Auckland. Video supplied by Daniel Fenning

Firefighters are battling a large forest fire north of Auckland. A helicopter with monsoon bucket, five pumps and two water tankers are assisting at the scene.