Seven firefighters will be patrolling the fire break overnight at the scene of a blaze in Southland as gusts of 40kmh are expected to hit the area.
The Awarua scrub fire started late on Saturday afternoon burning through parts of the Department of Conservation wetlands.
Incident Controller Mark Marwhinney said this afternoon they were establishing a fire break at the head of the Tiwai peninsula to slow the fire and stop it from spreading.
"One crew of seven firefighters will be patrolling the fire break overnight, with two helicopters on standby.
"Tomorrow wind is expected to shift to westerlies, then to north-westerlies in the afternoon, with moderate winds. This should ease conditions, allowing firefighters to continue their progress on putting out the fire.
"People are reminded that there is still a prohibited fire season in Southland. It is still dry across the area and no outdoor fires are allowed."
Earlier today boggy and uneven ground proved to be a challenge for firefighters attacking the blaze.
Eight fire crews and nine helicopters had joined the battle against the fire which has consumed more than 1000 hectares of Manuka bush at the head of Awarua Bay Rd next to Waituna Lagoon.
About 30 ground staff from Dunedin, Stewart Island and Invercargill Department of Conservation as well as volunteer brigades from Glenorchy, Waikawa, Hedgehope and Drummond and
staff from Heslop Forest Contracting were on the scene.
Ash pits, where the fire had burnt underground, were also making it difficult for firefighters to traverse the peat bog, Mr Marwhinney said
A low water table from the drought had allowed the fire to burn deep into the peat which made it more a lot more difficult to extinguish.
They were also having to adjust to tidal influences in the area.
On Sunday morning, helicopters were able to recharge monsoon buckets from Muddy Creek only a few hundred meters from the fire front.
Mr Marwhinney was encouraged the fire had not grown significantly overnight. Winds had temporarily died back from the 65kmh winds crews were coping with on Sunday. But wind gusts up to 83kmh were forecast later on Monday.
"Crews established a fire break yesterday to manage this wind change and prevent the fire spreading further," he said.
Ground crews would be pulled of the fire-front if the wind increased creating a risk of the fire flaring or suddenly changing direction.
It was expected people would be on site for the next two weeks to fully extinguished the deep-seated fire.
It was hoped the investigation into how the fire started would be complete by Monday afternoon, she said.
Awarua Bay Rd has been closed to the public and people have been asked to stay away from the area.
