Port Hills fire now '70 per cent contained'

What you need to know:

• A large fire broke out Wednesday afternoon in the Worsley area, now covering 650 hectares.
• The fire is yet to be contained and Emergency Management Minister Mark Mitchell says it will take weeks to "get the fire completely out".
• Adventure Park says the fire is within its boundary.
• One home has been destroyed in the fire.
• A state of emergency was declared on Wednesday evening for Christchurch City, including Banks Peninsula, and Selwyn District.
• Homes were evacuated in Early Valley, Worsley Spur, Hoon Hay Valley, Kennedys Bush and Selwyn.
• Early Valley and Hoon Hay Valley residents have been allowed to go back home.
• 80 homes are still unable to be accessed.

Twenty-eight fire crews have taken over from overnight teams as work continues to try and contain a massive fire burning in Christchurch's Port Hills.

They will be supported by 15 helicopters dropping water on the fire and two fixed wing aircraft.

The fire, which is now covering 700 hectares, was first reported 2.15pm on Wednesday on Worsleys Rd, Cracroft, where Fire and Emergency NZ said vegetation caught alight.

The fire is now 70 per cent contained and any threats from overnight were nullified thanks to the public calling 111, Fenz said in its Friday morning update.

Conditions first thing this morning are favourable for firefighting with no wind on the fireground, and an easterly wind forecast from lunchtime.

Many residents will wake to a strong smell of smoke this morning, but are being reassured it’s due to the overnight change in wind direction to a southerly - not a sign the fire's condition has changed or moved toward the city.

That smoke poses health concerns for vulnerable people, who may experience coughing or shortness of breath even if the air doesn’t seem overly smoky. They are being urged to stay indoors if it’s safe and keep windows and doors closed.

A Port Hills resident told NZME the first helicopters of the day came over Westmorland at 6.20am. The Defence Force was called in yesterday.

Emergency Management Minister Mark Mitchell this morning reiterated Inspector Ash Tabb's call for the public not to visit the fire area or fly drones.

"You've got helicopter pilots in the area who are really concentrating hard on getting water onto the fire area and an unauthorised drone can take a helicopter down."

Mitchell acknowledged the hard work of the emergency services.

"I have no doubt in my mind that it was the speed of the response ... that has got much better and faster control of this fire.

"He also thanked the community for the "enormous pastoral support" put around affected residents."

Mitchell also thanked the media for their role in getting information out to the public and providing reassurance.

A total of 110 properties have been evacuated as the fire, centred around Worsleys Road in Cracroft. Some residents were allowed home about 4pm yesterday and others were able to check on their properties and pets.

Emergency services showed The New Zealand Herald their control centre at the top of the mountain range, situated to the south of the city, from where the full impact of the blaze was apparent. Smouldering trees and a vast expanse of scorched scrubland could be seen over the landscape. Plumes of smoke were billowing out and trees were consumed by flames.

It had spread to the Christchurch Adventure Park, which was affected by the 2017 Port Hills fires, and Fenz incident controller Dave Stackhouse said it had crossed the Summit Rd further up the hill. He said the hot and windy weather forecast for the area threatened to create “extreme fire behaviour”.

Yesterday’s forecast high was 28 deg C and windy for Christchurch. Today it would be a cooler with a high of 21 deg C, with southerly winds turning northeasterly in the afternoon.

Police, the Minister of Civil Defence, and Fenz continued asking people to avoid the area as Inspector Ash Tabb said “disaster tourists” had been impeding the response, blocking roads and stopping vital equipment from coming in.

Fenz and police said it was too early to say what caused the fire - which ignited almost seven years to the day of the 2017 blaze. Fire and police investigators were already trying to work out “whether there [was] any human involvement”.

Christchurch Mayor Phil Mauger said this morning there was a far greater feeling of comfort on the fireground today.

He said "it could take days, it could take weeks" until all the hotspots were out, but there was a greater sense of calm among firefighters and other authorities today.

Cooler day today

MetService meteorologist John Law told RNZ's Morning Report programme today the wind today will be "a lot lighter" than what Christchurch experienced yesterday.

The wind is expected to change from a southerly back to a to northeasterly this evening. Smoke will be "drifting a little bit closer towards Christchurch" throughout the day.

"The thing to watch out for" is the winds starting to pick up in the region towards the end of the weekend - not ideal conditions for firefighting, Law says.

Today's high will be 21, down from 28 yesterday, but it is due to get hotter towards the end of the weekend. A high of 27degC was forecast for Monday.

- NZ Herald, RNZ, Star News