The Department of Conservation is taking the unusual step of declaring a total fire ban across its Hawke's Bay regional parks for the first time in 12 years.

New Zealand's greatest batsman, Martin Crowe, is understood to have set fire to his New Zealand cricket blazer in protest at the demotion of Ross Taylor as captain.

A person has died in a house fire in Wanganui today.

Two adults and five children escaped when fire tore through this Maraenui Housing New Zealand house in Napier on Saturday. The occupants heard a smoke detector begin to go off - then heard one of the children cry out "fire!" The fire was believed to have broken out in a room where the children had been playing but it was not known how it started. Video supplied by Justin Walker.

As fire tore through the house leaving her with nothing more than she was wearing, Maraenui woman Sharron Paramore collapsed to the ground in shock and tears.

Off-roading fans say burned out cars common in area but body find was complete shock Shane Malcolm Bell I wished we had kept on driving because it was a grisly find.

As Queensland sweltered in yesterday's heatwave and fires burned across large areas of the continent, Australia received warning of a dangerous summer ahead.

Flames reached as high as nine metres today as a South Auckland home was engulfed in a blaze.

Two-thirds of Queensland, Australia is expected to be on bushfire watch as temperatures in parts of the state soar above 40C for the fourth day.

The owner of the Doha childcare centre where Kiwi triplets died in a blaze has pleaded not guilty to criminal charges after finally appearing in court.

The parents of Kiwi triplets killed in an inferno at a Doha mall have marked the 6-month anniversary of the tragedy by releasing the last photograph taken of their toddlers.

The largest of three scrub fires that burned across the Western Bay of Plenty yesterday is believed to have been deliberately lit.

Police and fire safety officers are investigating the cause of a blaze that destroyed an upmarket Auckland home, almost killing the owner.

A person is understood to have died in a house fire in a remote rural area north of Napier last night.

A woman was dragged to safety by neighbours when an Orakei home exploded in flames last night.

The Jackass-influenced teenager who doused another person in petrol and set him on fire has been sentenced to three years in prison.