A man and his two children had a lucky escape after a fire engulfed their vehicle before spreading to nearby bush.
The fire started just before midday on Friday and caused long delays along State Highway 25A on the Kopu-Hikuai Road intersection outside Thames.
A Fire Service spokesperson, Jaron Philips, says the man was driving a four-wheel-drive towing a boat when he noticed smoke coming from the engine.
The man pulled over, got his children out, and tried to put out the fire but it spread too quickly.
A large bush fire has been contained on Friday evening.
