Seven fire crews and six helicopters using monsoon buckets battled for hours yesterday afternoon to bring the 200ha fire, at the bottom of Deep Creek, under control.
They managed to stop the fire spreading to nearby houses, although a woolshed and vehicle were lost to it.
Deputy Principal Rural Fire Officer for Central Otago Mark Mawhinney said the helicopter crews conducted a fly over to assess the situation this morning and reported no further activity on the fire line overnight. It will be closely monitored throughout the day.
“Ground crews are about to head out to check the fire line up close and to ensure any hot spots haven’t been missed on the edges,” he said.
Mr Mawhinney said the forecasters are predicting more wind later today so this will be something that the crews will be preparing for this morning.
“We traditionally tend to see fire activity pick up in afternoons once the grass has had a chance to dry. Because of this, our primary aim this morning is to ensure the ground is nice and cold to reduce the chance of the fire getting away from us in the afternoon,” he said.
Skippers Road is open however it will be busy with Emergency Services vehicles, so road users are kindly asked to please only use Skippers Road if necessary.
A further update will be provided later this afternoon if required.
