Aerial view reveals mass destruction
Flying over the blackened hills of the Nelson fires, still smoking and steaming in the midday sun, provides the best view of the vast scale of the devastation.
The perimeter of the fire is said to be 22km but the swathe of burned trees and fields looks endless as our helicopter sweeps over the area.
The fires have lost their flames but are still packing incredible heat as the smoke rises towards the Marlborough Helicopters chopper carrying the team.
Ash looks almost like a scattering of snow against the black. The view from the sky brings home what the authorities have said about the work put into saving houses. Many of them, full of memories and possessions, clearly came close to destruction.
The houses, that real estate agents would describe as luxury villas providing an ideal lifestyle, sit on a mostly black canvas surrounding each of the dwellings.
Flames would have engulfed the houses but for the efforts of helicopter pilots dumping monsoon buckets of water and firefighters pushing back where they could. Helicopters flying endless relays with monsoon buckets continue to douse trouble spots among the swirling smoke.
The day is getting hotter and the wind is changeable.
An expensive Redwood Valley home sits intact and undamaged beside a levelled structure.
Just above is another home just as lucky.
Several soldiers are on the property pumping water into a pool so the helicopters can swoop in and fill their monsoon buckets. The area is dotted with ponds and dams providing water for the helicopters.
Digger drivers are clearing bush and pine trees to make firebreaks should the wind turn.
The massive fire started on Tuesday afternoon near tinderdry Nelson, and 182 houses have been evacuated, affecting about 400 people.
A state of emergency has been declared in Tasman. At least one house has been lost.
The swathe of burned trees and fields looks endless.