Fire crews and helicopter battled a large scrub fire in Ōpōtiki

Multiple firefighters are trying to get a large scrub fire in the Ōpōtiki district under control. Photo / NZME

Multiple firefighters and a helicopter battled a large vegetation fire in the Ōpōtiki district which ended up torching two hectares of scrub this afternoon.

Fire and Emergency New Zealand shift manager Kaisey Cook said they were alerted to the
scrub fire in a paddock on State Highway 35 near Tirohanga Rd about 1.30 pm on Sunday.

Cook said four fire crews from Ōpōtiki and Ōhope station responded and the firefighters fought to get the 100m by 50m fire on the ocean side of the highway under control.

"Unfortunately, at first they could not get a helicopter up to fight the fire from the air due to the windy conditions, " she said.

Cook said at one stage there was a report that the fire may have been threatening a house in the vicinity but that was the case anymore.

She said a helicopter did finally manage to get airborne and helped the firefighters to extinguish the blaze which spread to two hectares in size by that stage.

The four fire crews and helicopter left the scene about 4pm, she said.

Cook said the exact cause of the fire was not known,

Meanwhile, another small scrub fire and a 6.1m derelict container on a property in Taui St, Ngongatahā reported about 3.06 pm today is being "treated as suspicious", she said.