Emergency Services

Police are responding to a two-vehicle crash on the Taihape-Napier Road, near Comet Road.

Across the Australian state, residents return home to take stock of the devastation.

Cordons remained in place, as police worked to determine exactly what happened.

A body has been found after a man went missing while swimming near Rotorua last week.

The overnight fire in Blairlogie near Masterton measured about 200 square metres.

The fire was reported shortly after 2.30pm, burning a shed and spreading to about 100 hectares before being contained just before 6pm. Audio

Campers and hikers have been asked to evacuate because of a large fire. Audio

About 60 players were inside, when the fire alarm went off, but all made it out safely.

Police said a car crashed into a parked vehicle on Waipa Street in Birkenhead and then rolled.

There are fears New Zealanders are becoming more complacent around fire safety at home.

At least 130 homes have been destroyed by bushfires across Victoria, with that figure expected to rise.

One person was taken out of the water near Bay of Plenty and another in Akaroa, both could not be revived.

The people had been unaccounted for, after being told to take shelter in their house on Thursday.

The blaze in Waikanae has been extinguished but crews remain at the scene conducting an investigation.

The crash occurred on State Highway 50 in the Hastings District at around 2:20am.

Firefighters will return this morning to the scene in Upper Hutt's Wallaceville to check for any remaining hotspots.

The intersection of Gaisford and Oringi roads in Kumeroa is blocked and diversions are in place.

Graham Garnett, 66, failed to return from a hike in the Kahurangi National Park.