Weather: Lightning causes forest fire and more than a thousands homes without power

Weather conditions are causing more problems for fire crews in the south.

Canterbury has remained under a red warning overnight, with more than a thousand homes without power.

A crew will head back at first light to the scene of a forest fire, sparked by lightning near Dunedin.

Lightning has caused a forest fire at the Outram's Berwick Forest in Dunedin overnight. Image / Google

Fire and Emergency shift manager Brent Dunn said they received a call just before 8pm yesterday to Outram's Berwick Forest.

Helicopters will be sent in at first light to check the fire hasn't sparked up again.

Fire and Emergency said it has dealt with a steady number of calls up until midnight from fires that had re-ignited from pits or burn-offs.

But the wind has not caused as many problems as it did on Friday.

Calm before the storm photo taken from in our shed in Waiau Photo/ Alan Hunt

One critical after house fire

The storm system is now heading to the lower North Island, with Wellington on high alert.
Wellington emergency manager Jeremy Holmes said people need to take care.

Meanwhile, a person has been treated for critical injuries following a house fire in Timaru overnight.

Four fire crews were called to the blaze at a property on Catherine St just after 8pm.

There are a number of customers without power across Canterbury.

Power outages across Canterbury. Photo / Orion

138 are affected in Coalgate, Hororata, and Homebush.

Meanwhile flights have been cancelled out of Queenstown from Christchurch and Wellington.