10 fire crews battle three North Island blazes

The fire near Hikurangi.

Fire crews were battling large blazes around the North Island this afternoon.

A spokeswoman for Northern fire communications said four trucks had been sent to a 30m by 40m slash fire on Mountain Rd in Hikurangi around 2.30pm.

A helicopter was also called upon but had since been stood down, she said.

A helicopter was called upon near Hikurangi.

Around the same time a blaze at a new subdivision in Hamurama on the shores of Lake Rotorua had been reported.

Two trucks were at the scene and firefighters were trying to find out how the fire had started, the spokeswoman said.

A 50m by 100m area of scrubland was alight west of Te Awamutu, fire communications said.

Two trucks from Te Awamutu were sent to the fire around 3pm, as well as two watertankers - one each - from nearby towns Otorohanga and Cambridge.

All fires were under control, the spokeswoman said.