Afternoon of blazes sign of busy season for Northland firefighters

It took two hours for a grass fire in Rawene, near SH12, to spread into a 3ha pine forest blaze. Photo / Katherine Rose-Parlane

Dry conditions transformed a pine forest near Rawene Rd into perfect fuel as Far North firefighters battled a 3ha blaze yesterday evening.

The large wildfire was preceded by another scrub fire which threatened homes in Ruakākā less than an hour beforehand.

Warren Marshall, Ruakākā Volunteer Fire Brigade station officer, said people need to be extra vigilant about fire risks in tinder dry Northland as firefighters battle an exhaustive season of scrub fires.

The situation is so bad that a total fire ban is in place across the whole of the region - meaning nobody can light fires in the open.

"People have to be aware that something really small can rapidly ascend into something much worse. They need to make sure they understand the rules around a total fire ban," Marshall said.

Five crews from the Rawene and Kaikohe fire brigades were called to a 100m by 3m wildfire on Rawene Rd off SH12 around 3pm.

In two hours the fire had engulfed nearly 3ha of pine forest as four Salt Air helicopters fought the blaze alongside ground crews.

A Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ) spokesperson said once on scene, firefighters quickly requested the help of helicopters to contain the fast moving blaze.

"It was initially a grass fire that has jumped quickly into the pine trees. It's just so dry up there so it's easy for the fire to keep spreading," the spokesperson said.

Rawene Rd was closed by police at the intersection with SH12 and officers were on site to control traffic in the area.

Earlier in the day Ruakākā residents had a close call as a scrub fire burned less than 2m away from their homes.

The quick response of Ruakākā and Waipū fire brigades prevented residents from losing their homes in a scrub fire. Photo / Kiri Kahi

Emergency services were called around 2.30pm to a small reserve that backed onto houses near the intersection of Peter Snell Rd and Tamure Pl.

Dry conditions and winds over 20km/h had spread a 50m by 30m blaze into nearby trees and scrub.

"The fire was only a metre from homes in the area. It was so close that smoke alarms were going off in their homes," Marshall said. "If we had been five minutes too late people would've lost their homes."

As six firefighting crews from Ruakākā and Waipū tackled the wildfire, police prepared for the worst case scenario as they planned a potential evacuation of threatened homes.

Ruakākā chief fire officer Darrell Trigg said the quick response of the volunteer firefighters was a "good save" that prevented the loss of people's homes.

Firefighters were able to contain the bush fire within an hour, which included time spent dampening hot spots to prevent the fire reigniting.

Marshall said a brazier or someone deliberately lighting the fire was the cause of the blaze.

He advised people to ensure they put their ashes in a steel bucket.

"We've attended calls where people have put ashes in plastic buckets on their decks. We just need to be more aware of the dangers."