Crews on standby as Waitaki blaze still out of control
A LARGE fire in Waitaki remains uncontained after igniting in high winds in a pine forestry block early yesterday, a Fire and Emergency New Zealand spokeswoman said.
Up to 16 crews and eight helicopters battled the blaze near Livingstone, 16km inland from Duntroon, in the Waitaki, for much of the day yesterday.
Fire crews were called to the scene about 3.15am, but the firefighting effort was hampered by inclement weather through the day.
Last night, heavy machinery and multiple crews remained on standby ‘‘should anything happen overnight’’, the Fenz spokeswoman said.
Low cloud forced helicopters to be grounded for a time late yesterday morning, and yesterday afternoon strong winds were creating challenging conditions, Fenz said.
Nearby properties had been evacuated, it said.
The fire was being fanned by the strong winds.
Fenz issued a statement on social media yesterday asking the public to stay away from the area.
Helicopters would return to the scene this morning, the Fenz spokeswoman said.
She did not know the size of the fire last night.
An Otago Daily Times reporter at the scene yesterday morning said she had seen evidence of the large fire, which had ripped through the area.
The fastmoving fire had jumped the road in multiple locations, she said.
She understood a shed was destroyed in Smith Rd but believed no other property had been damaged.