Olive grove fire spread rapidly

A recent olive grove fire has highlighted dry weather conditions.

A recent fire ripped through 9ha of olive trees and grazing land alongside Tukituki Rd near Havelock North.

It took fire crews with a helicopter 90 minutes to bring the "well involved" fire under control and four hours to put it out.

A Hastings Fire Station spokesman said they received the call about 3pm on Thursday and went to a "second alarm rural response".

Staff from Hastings, Haumoana, Havelock North and Maraetotara battled the blaze before leaving at 9.30pm.

Four fire appliances, two tankers and one aerial attended and a helicopter with a monsoon bucket and six hose lines were used to extinguish the fire.

"The wind picked up so the guys did well to cut the grass off but unfortunately, by that point, it had already spread to the bracken bush between the block and river," the spokesman said.

Eastern Regional Rural Fire Committee chairman Trevor Mitchell said the speed of the fire astonished the property owners with the blaze spreading more than 250m in less than five minutes.

The blaze was yet another warning that every care needs to be taken with fire as the region continues to turn "tinder dry".

"This demonstrates how dry conditions are and that people need to be very vigilant."

This was just one of a number of fires that crews had to attend this week, including an abandoned bonfire in a freedom camping area in Waimarama, and a rubbish fire that got out of control in Te Onepu Rd.

The Hastings Fire Station spokesman said three of the fires happened on Thursday afternoon.

"The olive grove fire was the most significant of the callouts but the windy and dry conditions are making it very easy for them to spread."

The public is being asked to report any unattended or dangerous fires by calling 111 immediately.

The cause of the olive grove fire has not yet been determined and was still under investigation.