More than 70 firefighters, two bulldozers and five helicopters with monsoon buckets battled a rapidly escalating bush fire in the Far North overnight.
The fire started in a conservation wetland in Houhora, 40km north of Kaitaia, about 3pm yesterday.
Department of Conservation incident controller Mita Harris said it had burned up to 400ha of scrub by 6am today.
A 2km-long fire break had been cut through bordering farmland to prevent the fire spreading to houses.
More helicopters and fire staff were being called in to assist.
Meanwhile, a Far North house was destroyed by fire last night in Karikari, 20km northeast of Kaitaia. Firefighters returning from the Houhora blaze were called to the incident at 9.30pm. Nobody was injured.
- NORTHERN ADVOCATE (WHANGAREI)
Far North bushfire spreading rapidly
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