Clean-up efforts are underway on a property in Canterbury's Norwood after a vegetation fire.
Fire and Emergency New Zealand was called to the blaze between Burnham and Dunsandel on Thursday afternoon, which is believed to have been caused by a vehicle tyre blowing out.
It quickly spread to 30 hectares due to the hot, dry conditions, and teams remained on site last night putting out flames and dampening down hotspots.
Blacked vegetation was visible from the road, and trailed up the long driveway to the house.
Cattle paddocks were completely black, and a workshop had been turned to a pile of ruins.
Photo: RNZ / Nate McKinnon
Philip Lattaney's mother and step-father live at the home where the shed was destroyed and said he left work and stood at the end of the driveway, watching as fire crews fought it.
"We were more concerned about the house, and we're hoping that the house was going to stay up because it was a lot of smoke and no, I couldn't come down there to start with, so we kind of just stayed out of the way, but what can you do? You just have to sit and wait, you know, fire is indiscriminate cleanser," Lattaney said.
The fire came as close as 20 metres to the house, which was not affected, but tore through a chicken pen and a shed workshop.
Lattaney said all the animals managed to escape the flames.
"The cows got moved into one of the least damaged paddocks so they go out of the way, the pigs were fine as they live in a natural firebreak, being the stone and mud they live in, and then the chickens managed to find a little hole to hide away in."
Photo: RNZ / Nate McKinnon
He said his parents were able to go back to the property last night, but chose to stay in a campervan due to the smell of smoke.
Lattaney said Friday was about restoring water and power to the property.
"We've got no power, no water, it's hard to live here [without] those right now, plus we can't water the animals right now.
"Water tanker got taken out, so we got a new water tank coming. Mainly for today is to get the power run through, we are just trying to find the buried cable so we can get to the temporary box and then we can get the power back on the pump working, get a new tank and and then we'll have water," Lattaney said.
He checked in with the two other neighbours that got evacuated, who only had damage to paddocks.
He said one neighbour even brought hay over this morning for his cows, that have nowhere to graze, due to the charred ground.
Photo: RNZ / Nate McKinnon
Incident commander Brian Keown said lots of work was completed at the property on Friday.
"The weather conditions are really good for getting in and mopping up, we've got five crews, digger and two tankers on site progressively working round, particularly the hedgerows."
He is urging people to think twice if they are doing work in their yard that might create a spark, like mowing.
"Tomorrow, with the strong winds, high temperatures just be very careful what you're doing. Don't be scared to ring 111 if you see a fire, don't try and deal with [it] yourself.
"Get onto the phone and and get us moving as fast as you can, " Keown said.
Photo: RNZ / Nate McKinnon
It is the fifth fire to burn in Canterbury recently, with fires breaking out in West Melton, Kirwee, Bridge Hill, and Waihao Downs.
Canterbury is also now in a restricted fire season, meaning you are unable to light a fire unless you have a permit authorised by FENZ.
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