Crews from Ward and Seddon attended alongside rural fire crews and two helicopters were put on stand-by but were not needed in the end.
A crew was still on site mopping up, he said.
"It was a fire in an old forestry block with strong winds in the area. It was in a gully, and was contained to the gully.
"It wasn't too large, it was just difficult access."
High winds interrupted the aerial attack on the Waikakaho Valley blaze today, with six helicopters on the job having to be grounded for a period of time about midday.
Incident controller Rob Hands said the fire was not yet under control.
"The winds today have been gusty and erratic but even though the temperature has dropped and we've had a bit of a shower, it hasn't really dampened anything.
"This fire has given us a bit of everything. It's run over logging slash sites which burn very quickly and cleanly. Its hit pockets of natives which slow it down and smoulder away. Last night we had trees 'candling' where the flames run right up the trees and the whole thing explodes into flames ... fire moves pretty fast along the ground through gum tree debris."
He said the crews hoped a southerly wind change at the weekend would allow firefighters to get the blaze more under control.
It was still burning fiercely in areas where it was difficult to get access, Mr Hands said.
Seven helicopters would be on the job tomorrow if conditions allow.
"The fire's behaviour has been pretty intense but I'm very pleased that we've set our containment lines and they haven't been breached today," he said.
"So I am hoping that I'll be able to say that we have things fully contained by tomorrow night."
A complete fire ban is in place for the region.
Emergency contacts
• Top of the South Rural Support Trust for assistance on 0800 787 254 or Ian Blair on 578 9923.
• Marlborough Council assistance contact Lyn Reeves on 520 7400.
• SPCA for assistance with the shelter and transport of animals, on 027 201 9016 or 027 886 1538.
