Under control: Matakana Island fire response scaled back

A large fire on Matakana Island off Tauranga that burned for more than 24 hours is now under control.

A Fire and Emergency NZ spokesman said this morning, with the fire well controlled, the response had now been scaled back.

"What they're doing now is working through hot spotting," he said.

"They're working with machinery and personnel to extinguish any hot spots."

EARLIER

A Fire and Emergency NZ spokesman said Monday afternoon the fire was still burning "a little" and was being continuously monitored.

Ground crews were cutting fire breaks in the affected area and extinguishing hot spots.

"There is a helicopter on route to provide some assistance to them," he said.

The fire was first noticed around 3pm yesterday and three helicopters were used to fight the blaze.

This morning, a Fire and Emergency NZ spokesman said most appliances had left the scene "just after dark" with the situation under control.

The area was monitored by fire crews overnight, and continued to be monitored this morning, to ensure the fire did not flare up again, he said.

The cause of the fire was still unknown.

Yesterday, in a Facebook post Fire and Emergency NZ said it had received multiple calls from around the Tauranga area about the large fire.

"The fire is on the ocean side just up from Panepane Point. Fire size currently is approximately one to two hectares and burning inland."

Initially two helicopters were sent to help extinguish the fire but a third was sent three hours later.

A police spokeswoman confirmed police had received reports of the fire but had not been dispatched.

Smoke rising from Matakana Island. Photo / Samantha Motion

"We received a report about 3.53pm of smoke that appeared to be coming from Matakana Island."

🔥 🔥 Update 1800: Third Helicopter now assisting with fire suppression 🔥🔥 🔥Fire and Emergency NZ have been receiving...

Posted by Fire and Emergency NZ Communication Centres on Saturday, December 12, 2020

Kewpie Cruises owner Amy Neale was leaving the harbour on a private charter a little after 3pm when she saw smoke and called 111.

"We thought we better call it in because there is quite a large pine plantation on the island."

Neale said when she first saw the smoke there were just "a few puffs" but as the fire grew, the smoke thickened and later you couldn't see up the coastline towards Waihi and Bowentown.

Al Gibson was at Mt Maunganui beach when he and people around him started seeing all the smoke coming from the north western side of Mauao.

The fire is believed to be about 1 to 2 ha. Photo / Supplied

"Everyone was under the impression the mount was on fire," he told the Bay of Plenty Times.

"But it must be a pretty decent sized fire on Matakana Island for the amount of smoke we can see. A lot of smoke has also drifted out east and it's stretching a long way."

The fire can be seen from Mount Maunganui beach.

A person on the island said they believed the fire was at the Panepane Point end of the island, which is closest to Mauao.

Blair Shco captured a video of the fire while driving on his jetski.

"We just noticed some funny looking clouds so we hissed over to the smoke and had a geez at what was going on. We could smell smoke.

"We just witnessed the bravery put out by the helicopter pilot and his bucket."

Matakana Island stretches from Bowentown to Mount Maunganui and is largely covered with pine trees. It had a population of 183 at the 2018 New Zealand census.