Residents of the 14 evacuated Pigeon Valley properties are now allowed to return home.
Clouds of smoke are seen rising from the bush fire area at Pigeon Valley this afternoon. Photo: RNZ / Rebekah Parsons-King
Meanwhile, Redwood, Eves and Teapot Valley residents will have restricted access to their properties between 8am and 2pm today.
Pigeon Valley residents have been granted conditional re-entry - meaning they can return home but must be prepared to evacuate again.
The access to Pigeon Valley is for residents only and police will be manning checkpoints to enforce this.
Civil Defence Controller Roger Ball said residents of the remaining 84 evacuated Valley properties can return home for six hours today.
The additional two hours of access was given to those residents as it was likely they won't be able to visit their homes tomorrow, due to forecast high winds and low humidity.
"The decisions around access were made after advice from Fire and Emergency New Zealand and Police, taking into account fire behaviour, weather conditions and the ability to re-evacuate residents at short notice if necessary," Mr Ball said.
