The fire broke out on the Lake Wakatipu side of the road on March 16, jumped the road on March 19 and spread up mountainous terrain, burning towards the southeast from Lake Wakatipu into the Hector Mountains.
It took 11 helicopters, three 10-tonne diggers, chainsaws, and more than 70 people - and cost hundreds of thousands of dollars - to fight the fire and cut a swathe of destruction through Loch Linnhe Station, which comprises 11,000ha of land for sheep and beef cattle. The fire was finally declared out more than a week after it started.
Yesterday, Dunedin City Council principal rural fire officer and fire investigator Graeme Still said the report was being finalised this week and would be forwarded to the Queenstown Lakes District Council early next week.
Mr Still said he had determined the cause of the fire, but would not disclose that information yet.
Once the report had been forwarded to the QLDC, a copy would also be sent to the National Rural Fire Authority for a costs application to be made.
The council would also have to decide ‘‘where they're going to go from there'' with the information the report contained.
When the roadside fire first broke out, QLDC principal rural fire officer Gordon Bailey said embers from two traction engines were considered the most likely cause, although at the time it was still being investigated.
Yesterday, Mr Bailey said the final cost of the fire had almost been determined and it was likely to be known by the end of the week.
He said the report from Mr Still would be presented to the council, which would decide whether or not the information should be made public.
