Residents of Goodwood, north of Dunedin, are preparing to evacuate if an out-of-control fire comes any closer to their property.
Tom Sutherland, who lives on a Goodwood Rd lifestyle block near Palmerston, with his wife and three sons, says they are watching to see whether the large fire in pine trees on the slopes of Puketapu come too close for comfort.
“The fire is going past a big block of blue gums just opposite our place. If they go alight then it could jump the road to us,” Mr Sutherland said about 5pm today.
He said three helicopters were fighting the fire in windy conditions, filling their buckets from a pond just over the hill from the family home.
The fire was reported about 2.35pm.
In an update at 5.25pm Fenz said the fire was burning over several hectares and was not yet under control.
“Firefighters have successfully protected a nearby house and multiple crews are working with the support of three helicopters to contain the fire.”
The Otago Daily Times understands Palmerston residents believe a farm generator sparked the fire.
Police have closed Goodwood Rd to traffic.
The blaze is one of several being tackled by crews amid hot and windy conditions in the South today.
Highway closure
A Southland highway looks set to stay closed overnight as crews battle a vegetation fire nearby.
A section of State Highway 96 near Mataura was closed earlier this afternoon because of the fire, NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi said
The closure affects SH96 between the intersections of SH1 and Waimumu Road.
In an update about 4.40pm, an NZTA spokesman said the highway was expected to remain closed overnight as efforts continued to contain the fire.
Fire and Emergency New Zealand (Fenz) earlier said they were responding to a spate of fires in Otago and Southland, amid strong winds and high temperatures across the regions.
Southland fire officials said crews were battling four other vegetation fires, at Dacre-Morton Mains, Makarewa, Greenhills and Otahuti.
Earlier, multiple crews were called to a paddock fire in South Otago.
They were alerted to the blaze, about 200m north off Johnston Rd, 1km from Balclutha, about 1pm.
Helicopters and seven fire appliances were at the scene, a Fenz spokesman said, the choppers collecting water from the nearby river to dump on the blaze.
A witness said stifling warmth and fierce winds were fanning flames at the rural property.Â
In an update shortly before 2pm Fenz said the fire was about 150m x 50m in size at 2pm, but had spread since then.
From the hill above, the witness said the fire appeared to come from a heap of dead wood, possibly collected after recent storms.
A huge cloud of smoke blown south by the wind occasionally obscured the area.
Two pumps, and one support appliance sped from Balclutha volunteer fire brigade about 1pm. Crews from Clutha Valley and Dunedin stations also attended.
In Papakaio, in the Waitaki District, a paddock fire was caused by a trampoline getting blown into powerlines.
“We were alerted at around 2.40pm this afternoon and four crews are fighting the fire.”
– additional reporting Allied Media