A scrub fire in Palmerston. Photo: Supplied / Martin Neame
Crews are working to extinguish a fire in a pine plantation that continued to burn overnight near the Otago town of Palmerston.
Twelve crews and two helicopters were at the scene.
The fire, which started about 2.30pm on Thursday, has burned about 25 hectares of pine.
Fire and Emergency said it had not grown overnight.
A spokesperson said crews were prepared for the wind to ramp up from midday Friday, but overall conditions were better than on Thursday.
The cause of the fire, one of nine to break out across Otago and Southland during high winds and hot temperatures, was not yet known.
Awarua Plains fire suspicious
Meanwhile, a fire that broke out in Southland overnight is being treated as suspicious.
Fire crews were called shortly before 1am to reports of trees on fire in the Awarua Plains, near Invercargill.
Fire and Emergency said crews arrived to find a 30m by 30m blaze that had spread from a car fire. It was extinguished before 2.30am.
And State Highway 96 near Mataura has partially reopened after a nearby vegetation fire yesterday.
It was closed overnight between the intersections with SH1 and Waimumu Road so firefighters could ensure the blaze was contained.
Waka Kotahi says the highway had been reopened to a single lane with a temporary speed limit in place.
Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
