Fire crews in northern Hawke's Bay were kept busy early last night after a farm burnoff reignited in strong winds.
The fire started around 5.30pm in gorse and scrub on a farm on the Mohaka Coast Road, just south of the town.
Fire crews and a water tanker from Wairoaand Putorino were first at the scene, followed by an appliance and water tanker from Mahia and Kotemaori. It was estimated the blaze was about 100m across when the first trucks arrived.
Wairoa District Emergency Management officer Tim Allen said at first it was thought helicopter buckets may be needed to control the fire, which was in steep terrain, but because of the windy conditions it was later decided those may not be effective.
Wairoa principal rural fire officer Don Scott said a nearby house was threatened by the blaze and a lot of effort was needed to ensure the property was safe.
The Kotemaori crew and a water tanker remained on standby overnight to watch over the 6ha of burned area and mop up any hotspots.
Strong winds had set embers on fire from an old burnoff, at least two weeks old.
"In strong winds people need to be vigilant and check any area where there had been a fire in the last two to three weeks," Mr Scott warned. He had attended two fires in the last two months that had reignited from 2-3 week old fires.
Police are investigating a fire which burnt a stack of wooden pallets and rubbish at a Napier shopping centre. Police and fire officers said it was fortunate there was no serious damage to the Marewa Village Shopping Centre, after the fire erupted behind the Big Barrel liquor store soon after 8pm yesterday. Two fire service crews arrived and extinguished the fire which caused some heat damage to roof spouting.
