Karetu scrub fire from rubbish burnoff under control

A helicopter is used to extinguish a scrub fire at Karetu that burnt about 200sq m.

A helicopter was used to contain a scrub fire that started from a rubbish burnoff in Northland on Saturday.

The fire on Ranui Rd in Karetu, 10km east of Kawakawa, started about 1.30pm and quickly spread across a kikuyu grass paddock and down a gully in light breeze.

Paihia fire chief Rex Wilson said it took a helicopter and firefighters from Paihia, Kawakawa, Rawhiti, and Russell about 30 minutes to put the fire out.

He said the rural fire authority in the Far North would investigate the fire which started from a rubbish burnoff near a shed.

About 200 sq m were burnt.

"Firefighters on the ground made sure the fire didn't spread and threaten a house about 50m up the road," he said.

Hot spots were dampened down before the last crew left about 5pm.

Mr Wilson reminded people of the restricted fire season in the Far North and the need for a permit.

"People should clear the area around the fire because with things like kikuyu, it burns under the grass and sometimes people wouldn't know until the fire gets out of control," he said.