Two fires put out after burning either side of Bay of Plenty’s State Highway 33

The highway has now reopened. Photo / NZTA

Two fires have been put out after they had been burning on each side of State Highway 33, south of Paengaroa in the Bay of Plenty for more than an hour.

Fire and Emergency New Zealand (Fenz) northern shift manager Carren Larking said one of the two fires, near Maungarangi Rd, had engulfed 100m of shelter belt and the second about 30m.

Three fire engines and one water tanker were in attendance at midday, alongside police.

A New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi social media post said at the time motorists in the Bay of Plenty area should expect delays and to follow instructions given by emergency response crews.

The road fully opened at 1.05pm.

Further south, numerous Fenz crews have contained a vegetation fire in Himatangi, north of Foxton, in the Manawatū district. Crews were first alerted to the blaze just after 11am.

The Himatangi fire was about 50m by 20m in size.

Crews from Himatangi Beach, Foxton, Horowhenua and Palmerston North attended.

As of about 1pm, rural crews were mopping up hotspots.

Azaria Howell is a Wellington-based multimedia reporter with an eye across the region. She joined NZME in 2022 and has a keen interest in city council decisions, public service agency reform and transport.