The Fire Service believes a caravan that lost its wheel started a roadside fire near Cromwell in Central Otago.
Five fire trucks and a helicopter were called to the blaze about 6pm yesterday on the side of State Highway 6 in the Kawarau Gorge.
The fire covered 100m of steep roadside between the river and the road.
It took crews several hours to control the fire and it was damped down by about 11pm.
