Fire on southern sandspit burns out of control, fanned by strong winds

Fire Service southern shift manager Andrew Norris said scrub at Sandy Point on Oreti Beach was engulfed by a fire that had spread across 200m. Photo / 123rf.com

A vegetation fire is burning out of control on a sandspit at the bottom of the South Island.

Fire Service southern shift manager Andrew Norris said scrub at Sandy Point on Oreti Beach was engulfed by a fire that had spread across 200m.

The fire, which broke out at about 4am, was being fanned by strong nor'west winds and the sandy, remote terrain to the west of Invercargill was making it extremely difficult for crews to access the fire.

There were only a couple of shingle roads leading to the area and fire trucks were not able to travel on them.

"It's burning uncontained but not threatening anything," said Norris.

There were six New Zealand Fire Service and rural fire service crews on site.

Rain was expected mid-morning which was expected to help put out the blaze, he said.

The beach was made famous as the key location for the Burt Munro film The World's Fastest Indian.

The latest scrub fire comes as police investigate three fires in Blenheim over the weekend.

The fires, on the banks of the Taylor River, Taylor Pass Rd and Whither Rd were all in close proximity to each other.

All three have been extinguished.

Norris said a skeleton crew remained at the scene of the Taylor Pass Rd using an infrared camera to look for hot spots.