The Country
  • The Country home
  • Latest news
  • Audio & podcasts
  • Opinion
  • Dairy farming
  • Sheep & beef farming
  • Rural business
  • Rural technology
  • Rural life
  • Listen on iHeart radio

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • Coast & Country News
  • Opinion
  • Dairy farming
  • Sheep & beef farming
  • Horticulture
  • Animal health
  • Rural business
  • Rural technology
  • Rural life

Media

  • Podcasts
  • Video

Weather

  • Kaitaia
  • Whāngarei
  • Dargaville
  • Auckland
  • Thames
  • Tauranga
  • Hamilton
  • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Tokoroa
  • Te Kuiti
  • Taumurunui
  • Taupō
  • Gisborne
  • New Plymouth
  • Napier
  • Hastings
  • Dannevirke
  • Whanganui
  • Palmerston North
  • Levin
  • Paraparaumu
  • Masterton
  • Wellington
  • Motueka
  • Nelson
  • Blenheim
  • Westport
  • Reefton
  • Kaikōura
  • Greymouth
  • Hokitika
  • Christchurch
  • Ashburton
  • Timaru
  • Wānaka
  • Oamaru
  • Queenstown
  • Dunedin
  • Gore
  • Invercargill

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / The Country

Crews fight major scrub fire in Kirwee, Canterbury

NZ Herald
10 Jan, 2024 07:32 PM2 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save
    Share this article
ASB bank investigated after offering Kiwi scam victim a goodwill payment, why Generation Z are less likely to end up behind bars and petition demands harsher penalty after Kiwi allegedly kills beloved Aussie fish in the latest NZ Herald headlines. Video / NZ Herald / Getty

Seventeen fire trucks and a helicopter have been sent to a major scrub fire in Kirwee in Canterbury this morning.

A second helicopter has been deployed to help with the blaze, which was first reported around the Courtenay Rd area at 5.47am.

An “unknown number of crew members” are fighting the fire, Fire and Emergency southern shift manager Darryl Ball said.

Ball told the Herald: “It’s a fire in a forestry block and is believed to be six hectares in size.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

“The fire is contained but certainly not out.”

Fresh images highlight the extent of the damage caused by a bush fire believed to have been started by sparks from the brakes of a freight train in Kirwee, Canterbury. Photo / George Heard
Fresh images highlight the extent of the damage caused by a bush fire believed to have been started by sparks from the brakes of a freight train in Kirwee, Canterbury. Photo / George Heard

His message to locals was simple - “Please don’t go down and have a look.”

Just days ago firefighters were battling scrub fires that sparked along rail lines in Kirwee.

Multiple homes were threatened by the fires which were started by sparks from the brakes of a freight train.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

The Canterbury region has been dealing with extreme temperatures, with 32C and windy conditions forecast today in Christchurch.

The hot humid temperatures coupled with strong northwesterly winds in Canterbury have local fire crews on high alert.

“Today is an extreme fire day, which means a fire can easily start and be hard to contain,” Canterbury Fire and Emergency said in an online post.

Fire crews are urging Canterbirans to avoid mowing lawns or doing hot work during the hottest parts of the day.

“Any sparks could cause a fast-moving wildfire.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

“Please avoid lighting any fires, even approved fire types. Check any fires you have previously lit in the past week and ensure they are fully extinguished” the post said.

Save
    Share this article

Latest from The Country

Premium
The Country

Finding their feet: Woolfi turns underused strong wool into global-ready slippers

26 Apr 05:00 PM
OpinionGlenn Dwight

Glenn Dwight: When the things we sold cheap suddenly feel priceless

26 Apr 05:00 PM
Premium
The Country

Inside the pro-mine movement gathering steam in Central Otago

25 Apr 08:00 PM

Sponsored

Endangered bird gets another chance

21 Apr 02:30 AM
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from The Country

Premium
Premium
Finding their feet: Woolfi turns underused strong wool into global-ready slippers
The Country

Finding their feet: Woolfi turns underused strong wool into global-ready slippers

Fiona McIlraith talks to Tom Raynel about her small wool shoe business Woolfi.

26 Apr 05:00 PM
Glenn Dwight: When the things we sold cheap suddenly feel priceless
Glenn Dwight
OpinionGlenn Dwight

Glenn Dwight: When the things we sold cheap suddenly feel priceless

26 Apr 05:00 PM
Premium
Premium
Inside the pro-mine movement gathering steam in Central Otago
The Country

Inside the pro-mine movement gathering steam in Central Otago

25 Apr 08:00 PM


Endangered bird gets another chance
Sponsored

Endangered bird gets another chance

21 Apr 02:30 AM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • NZME Digital Performance Marketing
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2026 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP