Thirty firefighters, a ditch digger and four helicopters were used to battle a 70ha blaze near Waipori yesterday, after a permitted burn-off went out of control for the fourth time since it was lit a week ago.
Two of the helicopters were stood down about noon, but one was still at the scene of the deep-seated fire as firefighters on the ground kept it away from nearby forestry at 5pm yesterday.
Dunedin City Council principal rural fire officer Graeme Still said the fire in wind rows of scrub and gorse was started with a helicopter on Friday last week.
That night it was extinguished with the use of a helicopter as it ranged out of the area it was meant to be in.
The fire, on private farmland in Mahinerangi Rd, was extinguished again by fire crews on Saturday last week and by helicopter and fire crews on Monday after it flared up again.
The fire was re-started about 6.45am yesterday, and quickly went out of control in strong winds.
Four Dunedin-based helicopters were called in about 7.30am to stop the fire spreading to nearby forestry.
It entered a logged area within Wenita forestry land, which would be difficult to extinguish, but had been contained and prevented from spreading further, Mr Still said.
Four Department of Conservation firefighters, who were assisting rural fire fighters and Wenita firefighters with the fire, were to monitor it overnight.
It was likely crews would be at the site for several more days after that.
The fire was deep-seated and would take some time to completely extinguish.
Mr Still planned to have a thermal imaging camera flown over the site on Sunday to identify any hot areas.
It was too early to say who would foot the bill for the fire, but the land owner would be responsible for some of it, Mr Still said.
