Fire breaks out in Wairarapa pine plantation

Forty firefighters are battling a blaze at a pine plantation in southern Wairarapa today.

The fire broke out just after 5am in Hinakura, 20km south east of Martinborough.

Fire service spokesman Andrew Tollison said four fire appliances and a command unit were sent from Wellington to assist the Wairarapa rural fire team.

By 10am the fire had burnt through 25 hectares of pine.

"It is still a significant fire, it will take most of the day to get it under control," Mr Tollison said.

It was not known what started the blaze, he said.

- NZPA