Firefighters, chopper kept busy fighting rubbish dump blaze

A helicopter waters down the area. Photo / Duncan Brown

Firefighting services were called to the Hawke's Bay settlement of Te Hauke early Saturday night after a rubbish fire burned out of control.

More than two dozen firefighters and a helicopter with a monsoon bucket were called to rural Hawke's Bay fire shortly after 5pm.

The Central Fire Communications' shift manager at the time of the incident, Craig Bally, said seven appliances from various Hawke's Bay brigades were at the fire on Boundary Rd, Te Hauke.

Fire crews from both Hastings and Otane battled the flames till 9pm last night.

Central Fire Communication's manager Mike Wanoa said the fire covered a big area of grass.

"We have no idea it how big it was. It had the potential to get away on us so we had to pull a lot of resources in," he said.

The burnt out hills. Photo / Duncan Brown

Elsthorpe and Omakere firefighters were at the scene of the fire on Sunday morning to dampen hot spots.

The cause is still unknown however Mr Wanoa said there was "no indication at all" that the fire was suspicious.

There were no reports of properties being at risk from the fire around the settlement that is located 20 kilometres south of Hastings.

The temperature had dipped to 22C by 6.30pm yesterday, but today's weather will be a scorcher with the forecast is set to top 30C.