Blaze started here, but how?

A farmer who leases a paddock where Nelson’s massive blaze began says it’s too soon to say what caused the blaze, according to a spokesman.

A person ploughing a paddock in Pigeon Valley, about 30 kilometres from Nelson, was believed to have sparked the fire that started on Tuesday afternoon, forcing the evacuation of nearly 200 households and destroying one home.

The fire started at a farm owned by Patricia Sowerbutts. The farm is leased by fifthgeneration farmer Ian Parkes.

The contractor thought to have operated the agricultural machinery in the paddock close to the start of the fire made no comment when approached yesterday.

Riverstone Balage, a wellknown contractor in Brightwater, is directed by Aaron Baigent, his father, Anthony Baigent, and Grant Holland. Aaron Baigent declined to comment when Stuff called at his house.

Sources said the Baigents had moved some of their tractors offsite after the fire.

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

‘‘But more than that I can’t say, it’s too soon.’’

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.’’

It was highly likely that a tractor started the blaze, Fire and Emergency New Zealand regional manager rural John Sutton said earlier.

STUFF A tractor and disc plough at the forest fire that started in Pigeon Valley near Wakefield, and right, flames and smoke erupt near where a tractor and disc plough were operating in Pigeon Valley shortly before a massive forest fire began.