Fire crews have contained a large blaze that broke out on Māngere Mountain last night. Video / NZ Herald
There was a large fire on Māngere Mountain in South Auckland overnight.
At its peak, more than 50 firefighters were battling the 3ha blaze, which also sparked an emergency mobile alert for some nearby residents and a smoke advisory for people as far west as Piha.
The blaze was thought to have been caused by a bonfire and a fire boss has called on the public to take care, with a restricted fire season in place and high winds expected over the next few days.
Smoke from a large fire on Māngere Mountain overnight has drifted as far west as Piha, prompting a warning from Waitemāta Fire and Emergency this morning.
Dozens of firefighters spent hours battling the 3ha vegetation fire on the South Auckland maunga. It was almost completely contained before dawn.
The impact of the fire went far beyond just nearby residents, who received an early-morning emergency mobile alert about the incident, but also affected people up to 40km to the west.
“A fire on Māngere Mountain overnight, coupled with an easterly wind, has pushed smoke over western Auckland as far as Piha,” Waitematā Fire and Emergency wrote on Facebook this morning as part of a “smoke advisory”.
At its peak, the fire’s glowing red and orange flames and thick, grey smoke could be seen from kilometres away
An emergency mobile alert was sent to those living within 2km southwest of the maunga but has since been lifted, Fire and Emergency Counties Manukau wrote on their Facebook page.
“The fire at Māngere Mountain is now almost fully contained,” it wrote in the most recent update around 4am.
“Crews will continue to work ... into the day to fully extinguish the fire.”
The scene on Māngere Mountain in South Auckland early this morning. A large fire occurred on the maunga overnight. Photo / Hayden Woodward
Although the emergency mobile alert had been lifted, there was still smoke in the area.
“If you are affected, please keep windows and doors closed and seek medical attention if you are feeling unwell due to smoke.”
The fire began just before 9.30pm last night, with Fire and Emergency receiving multiple calls about the vegetation fire on the maunga, which is near Domain Rd.
It was around a hectare in size and seven crews were initially sent to help.
Dozens of firefighters were sent to help put out a fire on Māngere Mountain in South Auckland. Photo / Hayden Woodward
The fire had spread to cover around 3ha by 12.40am, Fire and Emergency Counties Manukau assistant commander Dale Tawa said.
At its peak, around 50 firefighters were battling the blaze, including two tankers, as well as crews in 4WDs from Hūnua due to challenges regarding access.
“This is quite a big fire for a suburban area; unfortunately, it’s not foreign to this maunga.”
Fire and Emergency had been told the blaze was caused by a bonfire on top of the maunga.
“The initial reports indicated that people were seen lighting the fire, but when we arrived, we couldn’t find anyone on-site.”
The fire on Māngere Mountain covered about 3ha at its peak. Photo / Hayden Woodward
Police were on the scene, and Auckland Council and iwi have been told about the fire, he said.
Iwi and the council co-govern maunga across Tāmaki Makaurau through the Tūpuna Maunga Authority.
Firefighters from across Auckland were battling a large fire on Māngere Mountain in South Auckland overnight. Photo / Hayden Woodward
Tawa warned Aucklanders to take “absolute care and [make] considerations” around fires.
“As people should be aware, we are currently in a restricted fire season. Since Friday, we have been on high alert, and we are not yet out of the danger zone.
“High winds are still expected over the next few days, and we are uncertain if we will receive the predicted rainfall.”
The blaze is the second major fire in Auckland this weekend, after firefighters were called to the multimillion-dollar former site of the Centrepoint commune early on Saturday.
The abandoned site has been used by squatters recently, a fire chief said yesterday.
Survivors of the controversial spiritual commune – including those who lived there as Centrepoint children in the 1970s and 1980s – have previously spoken of harrowing experiences at the 7.62ha site in Albany.
Centrepoint, which was shut down in 2000, was led by late convicted sex offender Bert Potter.
Cherie Howie is an Auckland-based reporter who joined the Herald in 2011. She has been a journalist for more than 20 years and specialises in general news and features.
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