A state of emergency has been declared for Christchurch City, including Banks Peninsula, and the Selwyn District due to the impacts of the Port Hills fire which is burning uncontrolled.
Christchurch Mayor Phil Mauger and Selwyn District Council Mayor Sam Broughton made the declaration at 6.13pm.
The news came shortly after Fire and Emergency New Zealand (Fenz) gave an update to say the fire had not been contained.
All residents of Worsleys Rd and Worsleys Spur were this afternoon told to “evacuate now” and the Princess Margaret Hospital at the foot of Port Hills has been evacuated.
In an update just after 6pm Dave Stackhouse from Fenz said the fire was not contained.
"We are not in that position obviously yet."
The fire started around 2.15pm today in the Worsley area and has spread into Selwyn. With hot, dry, and windy conditions expected to continue, there have been a number of evacuations in the area.
Stackhouse said there were 25 appliances on the scene, more than 130 firefighters, as well as 12 helicopters and heavy machinery.
About 9.15pm a Fenz spokesman said the fire remained uncontained, and the choppers had been grounded for the night. They would be back at first light.
Fire investigators were on site but the cause was not yet known.
In declaring the state of local emergency, Mauger said it meant "we are better able to coordinate our response across all the various agencies involved, and will mean we can get assistance to where it’s most needed".
"It also means the local controller can evacuate people or restrict access to affected areas as required."
Stackhouse said more than 130 firefighters would remain overnight.
"Our priority is once we ascertain risk to life is to anchor in off Worsleys Rd and Summit Rd.
About 5pm Fenz said Early Valley was also being evacuated.
"Summit Rd is closed between Dyers Pass Rd and Gebbies Pass Rd. Residents in that area need to be ready to evacuate at short notice.
"Fire and Emergency again urges the public to stay away from the area. Onlookers have caused some roads to be congested that may need to be used to evacuate residents."
Evacuation centres have been set up at Halswell Library and Community Centre, and at the Lincoln Community Centre for people closer to Selwyn.
Te Whatu Ora has issued a public health warning for smoke from the fire.
“Air around this location is smoky and there is potential that people who are sensitive to smoke - such as those with heart or lung conditions, people who are pregnant, young children and the elderly - may experience symptoms like coughing, shortness of breath or eye, nose and throat irritation.”
Power outages were reported across the city and Transpower said the fire, burning under its power lines, caused circuits to trip at the Bromley substation.
It said that led to a loss of about 38 megawatts at the substation, temporarily knocking out power to about 55,000 properties.
Orion's general manager Steve Macdonald said power was restored to all customers within 25 minutes.
However, he has not ruled out further power outages.
An eyewitness earlier said he could see the blaze spreading quickly through grass and trees.
"There are two or three helicopters with monsoon buckets fighting the fire, they're going in and out of the smoke at the moment so it's quite dramatic to see that and the smoke is obviously, as it burns into new vegetation in that area, the smoke it getting blacker.
"It's just shooting straight up so yeah, it's going to take some time to get this one under control."
Swiggs said the fire was burning close to some properties.
Fenz earlier asked people to stay away from the area of the blaze, "to allow our crews to work on containing this fire".
Fenz asked people not to fly drones anywhere near the fire ground as "this will mean we will have to ground our helicopters, which will limit our ability to control the spread of the fire".
NZME staffer Matthew Lowe lives in Halswell and has a view of the hills.
He said about an hour ago he could see “a bit of smoke drifting across” but that had “increased substantially” since.
”A couple of sites have ignited and every now and then you can see the flames,” he said.
By 3.40pm he could see the fire moving down the hill, rather than across as it had been earlier.
National MP for Banks Peninsula Vanessa Weenink said today's fire would be bringing back horrible memories of the deadly February 2017 blaze that burnt through a total of 1600ha. The blaze destroyed nine homes and damaged another five. It took 66 days before the fires were fully extinguished.
Speaking during a general debate this afternoon, Weenink said she was thinking of the emergency responders battling the fire.
"I know that for many people in my electorate this fire will be bringing back horrible memories of the 2017 fire which burned for over 66 days and took the life of a firefighter, Steve Askin. I'd like to acknowledge his family."
- additional reporting NZ Herald/Star News
