Volunteer firefighters have extinguished a rubbish fire in Central Otago which was reignited by a spell of hot dry weather.
Ranfurly Volunteer Fire Brigade rural controller Willie Dowling said a smoke chaser ute, a tanker and a fire truck from the brigade attended the fire on a rural property in Kokonga, along with a tanker from Naseby, about 2.15pm today.
It was a minor fire from a rubbish tip that reignited in the ‘‘very dry’’ conditions and the brigades were able to get the fire under control without much trouble, Mr Dowling said.
However, if dry northerly winds continued for another week it could change things dramatically, Mr Dowling said.
He encouraged farmers to check old rubbish piles, as they could reignite in the hot weather.
The fire follows warnings from Fire and Emergency New Zealand in Otago about a ‘‘spike day’’ today, with elevated fire risk in Central Otago and the Queenstown Lakes regions.
