Fire and Emergency New Zealand (Fenz) incident commander Bobby Lamont said the firefighting at Tokarahi had been "arduous" but the blaze was "very well contained and controlled" by last night.
"We’ll leave a couple of people monitoring the fireground overnight and reassess the situation in the morning," he said in a statement yesterday evening.
"All going well, we anticipate leaving the fireground tomorrow."
Lamont said the blaze was one of 17 across the region in 15 days.
That was down to factors including strong winds, little rain, and the high flammability of grasses and scrub that were "frost cured" - dried out over a dry winter.
Those things were normal at this time of year, but the winds were starting earlier than normal, he said.
"In springtime we do tend to see these things anyway and it catches people out."
People planning controlled burns should check the long range forecast, especially the wind, and the checkitsalright.nz website had more information, Lamont said.
Four crews and two helicopters spent yesterday at the Tokarahi fire on the third day of fire suppression efforts.
The fire was estimated to have burned through about 806ha.
The Fenz response at the weekend began after the fire service was alerted to an out-of-control burnoff about noon on Friday.
Six helicopters, a fixed-wing aircraft and seven crews were sent to the area on Saturday morning after strong winds fanned the flames overnight.
Mr Lamont said the fire had not developed further by yesterday morning and four crews on the ground and two helicopters with monsoon buckets remained to work in the area yesterday.
Crews of volunteers and forestry contractors also walked the perimeter of the fire with hand tools to check for hotspots.
The aim had been to "hit it hard" before today’s forecast warm temperatures and windy conditions arrived.
Mr Lamont said he hoped to hand the site back to the landowner today.
"Our four crews and two helicopters did a fantastic job today [Sunday] checking for hotspots.
"The work was arduous but the fireground is now very well contained and controlled."
The area would be monitored overnight and the situation reassessed in the morning.
All going well, Fenz anticipated leaving the area today, he said.
- additional reporting RNZ
