Fireworks may have sparked blaze

Fire crews attempt to extinguish the fire on top of Te Mata Peak. Photo / Duncan Brown

Fire crews struggled to contain a blaze, believed to be started by fireworks, on Te Mata Peak last night.

Six fire appliances responded after the alarm was raised about 9pm.

It proved difficult for fire fighters to get to as the steep terrain prevented them from reaching the flames, rural fire Service deputy principal Gordon Foster said.

While it was not contained at 10pm last night, he was confident it would be extinguished before midnight.

"It's a case of waiting for it to come to us," he said.

The fire covered an area of about 150 by 100 meters at the top of the peak.

Hastings Fire Service Senior Station Officer Mike Manning said it was a "pretty good blaze."

The fire crew had been trialing an unmanned aerial vehicle in the Bay over the past three days and this was used during the Peak fire.

"The UAV gives us a great indication of the size and scale of the fire," he said.

Mr Manning believed the fire was caused by fireworks.

There will be a multi agency demonstration of the drone used by the fire crew last night at the Hastings Fire station from 9am today