Fire crews have spent an exhausting day battling serious blazes in Dunedin and elsewhere in Otago, including near the town of Dunback.
The Fire Service said earlier tonight that 28 appliances and six helicopters with monsoon buckets were fighting the fires in the region and additional resources were brought in.
Three firefighters needed treatment for smoke inhalation and heat exhaustion.
The region sweltered in hot temperatures today, including Dunedin which recorded a high of 29 degrees Celsius, and strong wind gusts fanned flames.
But a southerly change in the early evening had helped crews make good progress and fires were now contained in Dunedin and Dunback.
Many crews had been stood down for the night, but some firefighters would stay at the scene to dampen down hotspots.
The fire on Saddle Hill near Coalstage Rd started about 1.30pm, forcing the evacuation of residents from Coalstage Rd and McMaster Rd. A fire also broke out at Chain Hills covering about 20ha.
Several buildings have been damaged by fire, including a house in Chain Hills Rd and three in Coalstage Rd.
Otago Rural Fire Authority deputy principal officer Jamie Cowan said earlier the fire had been burning out of control, and residents in Chain Hills Rd, Old Brighton Rd and Morris Rd were evacuated.
By 9.30pm, police said fires in the area were contained. Senior Sergeant Brian Benn said small ones were burning in a triangle between Saddle Hill Rd, Coalstage Rd and Morris Rd affecting both sides of the Southern Motorway (State Highway 1) and this area has been cordoned off overnight.
"We are not letting people back in that area because of the possibility of a wind change," he said.
However, people evacuated from other areas today could return to their homes, he said.
Chain Hills Rd resident Gordon Hunt said this afternoon that police told residents to start packing bags and prepare to leave their homes.
Several people watched the fire from the intersection of Chain Hills Rd and Morris Rd and said the heat was intense. "The heat from the motorway was horrendous," Mr Hunt said.
Fire authorities asked that all people near the fires please follow the instructions of the emergency services. Dunedin residents with respiratory illnesses should keep all windows and doors closed due to smoke spreading across the city.
Peple should stay away from the area to allow emergency services to carry out their work.
For those people unable to return home or have been evacuated from their homes, a welfare centre has been set up at the Fairfield Community Hall in Fairplay St.
Dunback blaze
Firefighters were also busy in Dunback throughout the day, dealing with a 90ha scrub fire at Stoneburn near the town which began about 6.25am.
By afternoon, the blaze had moved rapidly towards houses on the Dunback-Palmerston Rd, which was closed.
Fire crews protected property in difficult conditions. Winds of up to 70kmh were blowing in the area this morning, but by noon were about 30kmh. Strong winds hampered the use of helicopters with monsoon buckets for a time. By 9.30pm the fire had been contained.
Otago deputy principal rural fire officer Graham Still said crews from Hampden, Waikouaiti, Palmerston and rural fire staff would be at the site overnight.
Power restored in East Taieri
The strong winds knocked out power to several hundred Aurora Energy customers in East Taieri today from 1.20pm, but most had it restored by 6pm.
Just seven people were still affected by 9.30pm, and Aurora said staff were working to get the power back on.
Water supply
Power has been restored to Dunedin City Council water pumps affected by the fire on Saddle Hill. All residents, including those in the Kinmont and Braeside areas of Mosgiel, can use their water as usual. A water tanker had already been arranged as a precaution and this will remain at the intersection of Braeside and Clyde Street until tomorrow.
Flights cancelled
The fires and high winds caused flights from Dunedin to be cancelled and passengers were transported by bus to Christchurch.
Dunedin Airport chief executive Richard Roberts said the first two flights scheduled to depart the city left this morning. The only arrival at the airport in the morning was a 50-seater plane.
The first flight to arrive in Dunedin in the afternoon was a Jetstar flight about 4.15pm.
Mr Roberts said he expected the flight schedule to return to normal tonight, because the weather was improving and a cold front was on the way.
