Updated 4.05 pm

Crews tackle spate of fires in South

Crews tackling the Roxburgh fires were working in warm and windy conditions. PHOTO: JULIE ASHER
Crews tackling the Roxburgh fires were working in warm and windy conditions. PHOTO: JULIE ASHER
Fire crews have been responding to a rash of fires across Otago today as warm and windy conditions grip the region.

Crews from several Central Otago brigades were called to a  vegetation fire on State Highway 8 at Roxburgh late this morning, and two helicopters were also sent. The fire was estimated to have covered about 1.5ha. 

A Fire and Emergency New Zealand spokesman said a command centre from Dunedin, and crews from Roxburgh, Millers Flat, Dunstan and Alexandra attended.

Crews from other Central Otago brigades and two helicopters also responded to a vegetation fire in Wright Rd, just south of Roxburgh on the other side of the Clutha River, in the early afternoon. 

Assistant Commander Bobby Lamont posted on Facebook that strong winds made conditions challenging. 

By 3.30pm both fires had been brought under control and crews were dampening down hotspots.  

Firefighters at the scene in Roxburgh. Photo: Julie Asher
Firefighters at the scene in Roxburgh. Photo: Julie Asher

In an update about 3.45pm a Fenz spokesman said firefighters were also working to contain a fire in forestry slash on Taieri Mouth Rd, at Kuri Bush, south of Dunedin. 

That fire was reported about 1.40pm. Shortly afterwards, a scrub fire was reported between Lawrence and Waitahuna. Local crews had that blaze under control by 3pm.

Just after 3pm, crews were called to a report of a slash fire spreading into trees on View St, Balclutha. As at 3.20pm they were still working to bring that fire under control, taking water directly from the Clutha River.

Earlier, an Otago Daily Times reporter at the scene of the first Roxburgh fire said it was immediately opposite the Roxburgh Golf Club. 

She could see two firefighters spraying foam on a hillside that appeared to have already been burned.

"There's not a lot of flames to see, there's smoke," she said.

One firefighter at the scene said wind was their "real concern".

Gusts of up to 84km/h had been predicted for today. 

PHOTO: JULIE ASHER
PHOTO: JULIE ASHER
A restricted fire season is in place for the area so all outdoor fires require a permit, FENZ said. People should go to www.checkitsalright.nz to find out rules applying to any location they were planning an outdoor fire.

- Staff reporters