Helicopters carrying monsoon buckets yesterday doused a series of scrub fires sparked by a downed power line in the Bay of Islands.
The first 111 call, for a roadside grass fire at the entrance to Bledisloe Domain in Haruru Falls, came in just before 1pm.
Local residents brought it under control with fire extinguishers and the Paihia Fire Brigade finished putting it out.
Forty minutes later, the brigade was called out again, but this time there were five scrub fires spread over more than 500m. All were under an 11,000 Volt power line supplying Haruru Falls and Waitangi.
With five fires that were immediately obvious, Paihia senior station officer Michael Fayne said his concern was how many others there might be.