A major fire has damaged a Christchurch home this afternoon.

A suspected firebug built up piles of kindling across an urban park before lighting two blazes this morning, a firefighter says.

Fire crews at a Taupo plastics factory have now left the scene after a major blaze tore through the building.

Twelve months on from her son's horrific death and Sharon Otto still can't bear to go to the Hamilton house where he died.

A major fire burnt down a holiday home and left the house next-door damaged in Hahei early this morning.

Taieri College in Dunedin will open today, and school examinations will not be affected by the fire in the roof of the school hall.

A Waikato woman has been airlifted to hospital with burns after a fire in the garage of her home early today.

Auckland fire services were called to a fire on a cliff that required an airport crash fire vessel to extinguish. Fire services from Titirangi and Laingholm were called to Opou Point near French Bay Titirangi about 9pm as a vegetation fire blazed on the cliff face last night. An area of 5000 square metres was on fire. Northern fire communications shift manager Jaron Phillips said a airport crash fire vessel was met by fire services at French Bay.

Auckland fire services were called to a fire on a cliff that required an airport crash fire vessel to extinguish.

Hundreds of people were evacuated from office towers after a fire sparked by workmen on a roof sent thick smoke billowing through the capital.

One person was taken to hospital and treated for smoke inhalation after a house fire in Central Otago last night.

Firefighters were called to a blaze at an unoccupied West Harbour house overnight.

A fire at a marae in Huntly prompted a call-out from fire crews today.

Police said the men were in a Toyota Hilux on Saturday, at Whakamahi Beach when fumes from a leaking gas cylinder exploded.

A fire has badly damaged a restaurant called Masterchef Kitchen in Panmure this morning.

A fire has badly damaged a restaurant called Masterchef Kitchen in Panmure this morning.

Three people were inside the building at the time fire broke out.

A policeman who rescued a woman from a house fire says being honoured with a bravery award is the highlight of his 35-year career.

There was no suspicious activity behind a fatal house fire in which one man died, police said today.

An early morning fire which ripped through a vacant block of flats in Hokitika is being treated as arson.

Firefighters have been called to a fire at Spring Hill Prison in the Waikato.

Richmond fire chief Ralph Lonsdale said the caravan went up "very, very fast".

Firefighters called to a fire at a set of flats in Petone last night arrived to found a body inside.

Blaze tore through the rear of a two-storey block of shops in Auckland.

Fire rips through intermediate school in Hawera.

The cause of a fire which raged across Saddle Hill last week will not be released to the public, the Otago Rural Fire Authority says.

A car was engulfed in flames on a road north of Auckland this morning.

When life gives you lemons, make lemonade, so they say. But what about when life gives you 100ha fires?

Two house fires in Tokoroa in the early hours of this morning are being treated as suspicious.

Firefighters battling a major fire in a West Auckland factory this evening will undergo decontamination after fears they have come into contact with dangerous toxic acids.