Devastating fire started in farm paddock, but how?

Tuesday afternoon forcing the evacuation of nearly 200 households and destroying one home. It is not clear who was driving the tractor pulling a disc plough at the time.

Stuff can reveal the fire started at a farm owned by Patricia Sowerbutts. The farm is leased by fifth-generation farmer Ian Parkes.

Stuff visited Parkes’ Eighty-eight Valley property on Thursday morning but was asked to leave.

A spokesman for Parkes’ company, N E Parkes & Sons, confirmed to Stuff the company leased a block in the area affected by fire.

‘‘But more than that I can’t say, it’s too soon. All we’re concerned about at the moment is making sure people and their properties are safe.’’

He said the paddock was a ‘‘small part of a very large farming operation’’. Allegations that the blaze was sparked by the ploughing was ‘‘far too presumptuous’’, the spokesman said.

‘‘My investigation is just beginning, making sure people and property are safe and fire is out. Next part of that is an investigation as to how it was caused.’’

Fire authorities earlier confirmed the fire started near Tasman Pine Forests land. It was highly likely a tractor started the blaze, Fire and Emergency New Zealand regional manager rural John Sutton said.

Sutton believed the owner of the tractor was mortified.

‘‘It’s an accidental event ... It’s a totally unintended consequence.’’

A fire investigator was working to determine the cause of the blaze.