Large wildfire continues to blaze
"Rocks are falling onto the highway and endangering firefighters." Department of Conservation deputy principal rural fire officer Bruce Janes
A large fire near Arthur’s Pass yesterday was expected to blaze through the night.
Firefighters used five helicopters to battle the flames that temporarily closed State Highway 73.
Department of Conservation deputy principal rural fire officer Bruce Janes said they used a ‘‘steady steady’’ approach to fight the large wildfire at Mt Horrible near Cass in Canterbury.
Aerial crews operated until night fall last night, and would start again at 7am today.
At 2pm yesterday, the fire was under control but not fully contained and they could not guarantee it would not spread further, Janes said.
A crew monitored the area overnight and a team of 20-25 firefighters are expected to move in from the edges from early today.
Janes said unstable hillsides and rockfall risk made firefighting from the ground difficult.
‘‘Rocks are falling onto the highway and endangering firefighters.’’
One firefighter had suffered an eye injury from the dust in the air.
He said the fire was in a ’’very awkward position, but not crazy big.’’
The fire was about one square kilometre in size, burning in a steep area of shrub south of Arthur’s Pass, Janes said.
Firefighters were alerted shortly after 2am yesterday.
At 10am, Janes said aerial and ground crews were bringing the fire under control.
There was no indication how the fire started, said Janes.
‘‘It is a weird time for a fire to start.’’
Rural fire officer and incident controller Brian Taylor said the conditions were ’’a bit dangerous.’’
He said there was also a danger as the fire was close to the main power feed to the West Coast, and risk of wind continued due to the surrounding valleys which could ‘‘pick up a fire ember and carry it quite a long way.’’
While the fire was not threatening property or people, a number of sheep were on the land where the fire was located.
‘‘They are being removed at the moment by farmers from Cora Lynn, which is the farm where the fire is burning.’’
Bealey Hotel manager Kim Gillespie said smoke from the fire had filled the valley.
‘‘There is a lot of smoke going up the hill and we can smell it outside,’’ he said.
‘‘I hope it doesn’t get any worse because we need the road open for people to get through to us.’’