An investigation into permitted fires which burned out of control near Clyde on Tuesday may take a week to complete.
The Clyde Volunteer Fire Brigade spent about three hours dampening down four burn piles on a Muttontown Rd property, during two call-outs.
The Department of Conservation is investigating the fires, for which it issued a permit last week.
Doc rural fire officer Trudy Anderson said the fire area was within 1km of the Otago Central Rail Trail and, therefore, in Doc's regulation area.
The fire permit, to burn vegetation on private property, was valid for one month.
"Whenever a permitted fire gets out of control, we look at the factors that made that happen. It should take a week or so," she said.
Doc can recover costs or prosecute, if permit conditions are breached.
Firefighters were first called at 9.30am, and spent just over two and a-half hours controlling the fires in windy conditions.
They were called again about 1.15pm, after part of the fires re-ignited in wind.
No property was damaged.
