Firefighters, helicopter at out-of-control burn-off in south Taranaki

A helicopter with a monsoon bucket is travelling to assist firefighters at a blaze in Waverley. Photo / NZME

A helicopter with a monsoon bucket and multiple fire crews are battling an out-of-control burn-off in Waverley, south Taranaki.

Fire and Emergency New Zealand shift manager Carlos Dempsey said firefighters were at a burn-off that had got ”out of hand” on Wednesday morning.

Firefighters were called out at about 9am to a scrub area on Upper Okotuku Road in Waverley.

Crews from Pātea, Waverley, and Whanganui had been at the scene for almost two hours, working on the spreading fire.

“It’s not under control but there’s no evacuations or anything like that at this stage,” Dempsey said.

“There are no reports of any structures being threatened or any injuries.”

The fire measured about 300m by 200m in grass, scrub, and small pine trees, he said.

A helicopter with a monsoon bucket was travelling to assist the fire crews.

Eva de Jong is a reporter for the Whanganui Chronicle covering health stories and general news. She began as a reporter in 2023.