Police say a fire that destroyed a hut in Te Urewera ranges was deliberately lit and could have caused strife for hunters or fishermen expecting to have shelter for the night.
Detective Sergeant John Wilson of the Rotorua CIB, who also leads the Rotorua police search and rescue squad, said the Midway Hut, in the Horomanga Stream catchment area east of Galatea, was found burnt to the ground on March 11.
He said police were working with Tuhoe and the Te Urewera board to establish exactly what happened. It is unclear exactly when the fire happened but it is believed to have been the day or evening before it was discovered.
Mr Wilson said police carried out an examination on Saturday.
"With no definitive cause for the blaze this leads us to the determination that this was a deliberate act," Mr Wilson said.