Central Hawke's Bay ablaze again

Fire on the hills of Central Hawke's Bay. Photo/Paul Taylor

Central Hawke's Bay was on late Tuesday facing its third major fire in 24 hours with up to 15 trucks reported to be at a blaze in the Poukawa District east of State Highway 2 between Hastings and Waipawa.

At least three helicopters were in use as the fire spread across the hilly grassland off Te Aute Trust and Boundary Rd and there were reports preparations had been made for possible evacuations.

The fire was reported at 2.52pm, but appeared under control about three hours later, just as another call was being received to a vegetation fire at Kyle Rd, south of Waipukurau.

It was reported at 5.09pm, with three appliances at the scene but the fire appearing under control within an hour.

The fires came just the day after similar major alerts in the western reaches of the region at Wakarara, and along SH50 near Tikokino.

Today it was one of several fires keeping pressure on New Zealand Fire And Emergency amid extreme heat in which temperatures have soared to near-record over-37degree highs in some areas, including Hawke's Bay and the Gisborne area.

To the suggestion it was Hawke's Bay keeping firefighters busy, a FENZ shift manager said mid-afternoon: "It's all over the Central North Island right now."

The situation in Hawke's Bay south of Hastings comes after some of the lowest monthly rain recordings in recent years.

According to the Hawke's Bay Regional Council's monthly rain report, the 36mm of rain at Glenwood in the Ruahines last month was just 28 per cent of the station's 30-year January average of 130mm.

Below-average rainfall on the Heretaunga Plains was highlighted by totals of less than 20mm at the Awanui and Ohiti recording stations, and on the Ruataniwha Plains of Central Hawke's Bay rainfall was mainly under 30mm for the month.

Soon after 4.30pm, MetService reported Hastings had the highest temperature in the country at 34.7deg.