Bay of Plenty fire crews battle 2ha blaze near Whanarua Bay

Firefighters were called to the scene of a large fire in the Bay of Plenty around 3am.

Fire crews are battling a large 1-2 hectare blaze in difficult Bay of Plenty terrain.

Fire and Emergency shift manager Ryan Green said crews responded to reports of a vegetation fire in the Whanarua Bay area around 3am.

Two helicopters have been dispatched to “assist with attacking the fire” this morning, he told the Herald.

The fire is in difficult terrain, making it hard for crews to access.

One crew from Ōpōtiki, two from Hicks Bay, and one from Waihau Bay are attending the incident.

Green said the fire was not caused by fireworks.