The Fire Service says it has controlled an extensive grassland fire that threatened a pine plantation at McLeans Island, northwest of Christchurch, on Tuesday.
The blaze came a day after the Department of Conservation issued a warning about extreme fire risk in Canterbury.
The assistant area fire commander, Greg Crawford, says the blaze spread quickly across 11ha of gorse and scrub and a further 8ha in a nearby pine plantation. It also damaged power lines.
Three helicopters, five fire trucks and three tankers fought the blaze.
Mr Crawford says the service was alerted to the blaze at about midday, and since then the wind picked up.
He says firefighters will now focus on damping down any hot spots, which could take until Wednesday morning.
It is believed the fire was deliberately lit, he says, because crews attended a smaller fire in the same area on Monday night.
Canterbury fire risk soars
The Department of Conservation says the risk of fire in Canterbury has climbed significantly because of hot dry conditions over the past month.
Fire bans are in place in some areas, and are likely to continue until April unless there is substantial rain.
Rainfall throughout Canterbury early in the summer led to good growth, but that excess vegetation has now dried out.
Rural fire spokesperson Bruce Janes says the risk of a big fire is now very high, and authorities have been watching nervously as large fires hit other parts of the South Island.
He says people should not be complacent while using barbecues, and farmers are being advised to take care using machinery in dry conditions.
Dunedin fire ban
A total fire ban has come into effect for the Dunedin city area.
Principal rural fire officer for Dunedin city, Graeme Still, says conditions are very dry and a fire risk is extremely high.
He says a fire ban is necessary to make people aware of the seriousness of the situation.
Mr Still says crews are still trying to put out hot spots at Mt Allen, after a fire two weeks ago destroyed 800ha of pine forest.
Meanwhile, rural fire authorities warn an extreme fire danger remains in drought-hit Northland, and the fire season could extend into April.
