An extensive Fire and Emergency New Zealand (Fenz) response was undertaken to get the fire, reported at 4.35pm on Friday October 7, under control.
Over four days, the fire burned over 230 hectares of remote scrub and tussock.
At the height of the response, up to eight helicopters were used to tackle the fire at elevations of up to 1300m.
The incident’s message log revealed a helicopter was immediately requested by the landowner to "hit it hard straight off the bat".
The fire was burn-off that got out of control, which appeared to be started by ember transfer, the log said.
Fenz had previously declined to comment on potential causes for the fire, citing the incident being under investigation.
Communications were lost with a contractor working above the fire area, in an area only accessible by 4WD, the log said.
An hour after the fire started, the man had been plucked to safety by a helicopter.
By then, helicopters were dipping buckets in a pond which was running low and and the fire was estimated as being 30 metres high.
Traffic management was called to close roads while the helicopters refilled from Lake Wakatipu.
By 6.30pm, the fire was 400m long and about 300m wide, four helicopters had been called for and Doc was being contacted due to potential contamination of a creek from class-A firefighting foam.
Saturday brought weather forecasts warning of winds up to 60kmh. Eight helicopters and four ground crews battled the blaze, with winds pushing the fire "quickly uphill".
About 7.30pm, the fire reached an area managed by Doc.
On Sunday, six helicopters and seven ground crews continued their efforts to contain the blaze.
About 230 hectares had been burnt by the end of the day.
An action plan prepared for Monday warned the fire was not under control and fences, stock, conservation areas and electricity lines to Glenorchy were at risk.Ground crews were warned to be aware of potential pickup points for helicopter evacuation in the "very high risk" terrain.
Three ground crews and four helicopters focused on extinguishing hotspots until incoming rain and wind, forecast to reach up to 130kmh, forced them to leave about 4pm, the log said.
On Tuesday, crews did not return and the incident was closed, following an inspection of the fire ground.
The Mountain Scene reported last month the fire was likely to have cost about $400,000 to fight, which could not be recovered.
While previously Fenz would have had avenues for cost recovery, that was no longer possible due to a change in legislation.
