Firefighters have managed to contain a fire in Waimate, in South Canterbury, which ignited in scrub yesterday afternoon and spread into forest.
Fire incident controller Bryan Jensen said the fire had burnt between 150-170 hectares of scrub and vegetation but was contained for the moment.
Weather conditions had improved, with winds dropping and a Southerly change predicted for this afternoon.
This was a "good and bad" thing, he said, as the change would lower the temperature but could also force the fire in the opposite direction, back onto extensive forestry.
There are currently seven choppers, as well as ground crews, bringing the fire under control and dampening down hotspots.
Due to the risk of a South West change, the focus is now on the back end of the fire and securing the forest perimeter.
Earlier, six choppers were operating in blustery conditions and an estimated 35-40 people were battling the fire.
Spots of rain started to fall just before 10am, and weary firefighters hoped it might bring some relief.
Police have closed State Highway 82 between Hodges Road and Parkers Bush Road, in Waimate, due to the blaze, which was first reported around 6.30 yesterday. The choppers began flying around 5am this morning.
Southern communications shift manager Andrew Norris said "extremely high winds and high temperatures" had set off a spate of fires in the last 24-hours from Invercargill to North Canterbury.
Yesterday firefighters battled a sawmill blaze in Loburn, north of the Chirstchurch suburb of Rangiora.
However, most fires had been minor and caused by trees falling on powerlines or scrub burnoffs reigniting, he said. - with NZPA
