A fire in tussock and pasture at Pukerangi in inland Otago has been contained.
A Fire and Emergency New Zealand spokeswoman said emergency services were alerted at 2.30pm to a scrub fire heading into a gorge.
Middlemarch, Outram, Wakari and Waihola crews responded.
About 4.30pm the fire had covered an area about 3ha and three helicopters were waterbombing the site, the spokeswoman said.
By 5.30pm the perimeter had been contained and the choppers and crews on site were in a "mop-up" phase, she said.
By 8pm the crews and choppers were all off site and what was left of the fire was not causing any concern, she said.
Crews would be checking the scene in the morning.
