This photo of the fire was captured before 9:30pm Saturday.
Photo: Supplied
Firefighters have returned to an out-of-control wildfire in Tongariro National Park.
Fire and Emergency (FENZ) said 23 firefighting units are either at the fireground now, or on their way, and six helicopters and two planes will be involved in battling the blaze today.
The large fire in the Central Plateau triggered evacuations of trampers and caused the closure of a nearby highway on Saturday night.
About 400 hectares of the Tongariro National Park was estimated to be on fire, FENZ said shortly before 10pm Saturday.
The blaze remains uncontrolled and burning toward Mount Ngauruhoe, but it was too dangerous for firefighters to actively work on it through the night to stop it, FENZ assistant commander Nick West said on Saturday.
Firefighters instead monitored it overnight.
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