Four stations join to fight Palliser blaze

LINE OF DEFENCE: Lake Ferry Rural Fire Force volunteers Jakob Florence and Jarred Pead load up with extra hose lengths.

Firefighters from four services had to virtually encircle a substantial scrub fire at Palliser Bay on Friday as changing winds whipped the blaze in multiple directions.

Two crews from Featherston fire brigade were the first to arrive at Onoke spit off Western Lake Rd at about 8.30pm to find a fast-moving fire among driftwood and gorse.

They were joined by the Lake Ferry Rural Fire Force, who could see the fire from the township across Lake Onoke, but had to drive to Featherston and back south to reach it.

Once there, Lake Ferry's vehicle was able to ford a small stream and drive on to the spit, providing valuable metres from which to unroll hoses.

The low, tangled gorse made for a hard fight in bringing hoses to bear.

While Featherston crews tackled the fire's western edge, Lake Ferry firefighters Jakob Florence and Jarred Pead carried a pack with a hose extension to try to get around to the heaviest blaze, which was advancing along the spit.

Carterton fire station's water tanker arrived to provide assistance, followed by Tora Rural Fire Force.

It took about two hours to halt the fire, but rural crews had to remain until 11am on Saturday to extinguish hot spots.

Lake Ferry firefighters' efforts to get closer to the fire caused their vehicle to get bogged down in shingle.

A digger was called in to help tug them free.

Featherston fire chief Colin McKenna said they were "pretty sure" someone had left a fire going on the beach.