Bay View hill fire threatened homes: 'We were very lucky that it was a calm day'

It took eight appliances to put out a fire between Bay View and Eskdale on Saturday evening. Photo / Supplied

A small fire in a rubbish hole escalated into a blaze spreading about 150 metre on a rise between Bay View and Eskdale on Saturday.

Principal rural fire officer Trevor Mitchell said a large contingent of firefighters were needed to get the blaze under control quickly.

"It was about 150m by 80m. I was fighting fires in Nelson so it wasn't a particularly large fire- but it was making its way up towards two houses on the hill so it was posing a bit of a threat at one stage."

Mitchell said the fire service was called about 6pm and had the fire out before 9pm.

"We were very lucky that it was a calm day and that there was no wind, but it's still pretty dry around that area so people do need to be vigilant."

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At least eight appliances were called to attend the blaze. The landowner told Mitchell that the fire wasn't lit by him.

"People think that the fire danger for this year is all done and dusted but this latest event very clearly proves that it's not," Mitchell said.

"We just want to remind people that summer isn't over yet and the fire danger still very much exists and the fire restrictions are still in place."

Mitchell said a lot of permits were still being issued, but residents should call emergency services should they see a fire that looked suspicious.

"If people see unattended fires then they should call 111."

It's the second vegetation fire that's broken out in Bay View this year. Twelve fire crews were needed to helped quell a fire on the northeast side of a hill near Kaiangaroa Pl in February.

Residents of two properties had to temporarily evacuate their houses but were allowed back in shortly after.