Six-year-old boy admits starting Gisborne fire

A six-year-old boy has admitted starting a fire in Gisborne that threatened houses and took three helicopters to subdue.

The fire at Kaiti in the city's southeast on Sunday afternoon burned an area of about three hectares before being brought under control.

A group of children, all aged under 10, were seen running from the scene and the boy's friends told police his name, the Gisborne Herald reported.

Police went to his home where he was with his mother and he admitted he had started the fire.

During the fire, several houses and a marae had to be evacuated.

- NZPA