Scrub fire in Awaiti near Paeroa

Plumes of white smoke billow above the scrub fire. Photo / Adam Johnson

A scrub fire broke out in rural Awaiti near Paeroa today before being extinguished by firefighters.

Fire and Emergency New Zealand (Fenz) were alerted at 12.40pm to the fire.

A Fenz spokesman said three crews - two fire engines from Paeroa and one from Tahuna - attended the blaze.

A helicopter also assisted because of accessibility issues for ground crews.

Fire crews were able to leave the scene by 2.30pm.

Fenz could not confirm if the source of the fire was a lightning strike, or how big the fire was.

The MetService forecast for weather in the Tauranga area today is for showers, some heavy with thunderstorms and hail, clearing at night.

MetService meteorologist Gerard Barrow said lightning strikes had started in the Waikato shortly before midday.

There had been about 202 strikes from roughly midday to 4pm.

Barrow said most lightning strikes go from one cloud to another but about 20 per cent reach the ground.

"There would have been some lightning strikes which reached the ground," he said.

Barrow said the regional council had advised them it was believed a lightning strike had started the scrub fire in Awaiti.

"The main activity at the moment is in the western Bay of Plenty - that is expected to extend through to the rest of the afternoon and evening."