Scrub fire at Ranana +Video Photos

Fire fighting ground crews are unable to get to scrub land burning near Ranana on the Whanganui River .

The Department of Conservation is battling the large scrub fire using helicopters.

The fire has engulfed 200 hectares of land across the Whanganui River from Ranana, and is

only accessible by boat or helicopter.

The Raetihi Volunteer Fire Brigade was called to the blaze about 9.40pm

yesterday.

Department of Conservation Whanganui area manager Connie Norgate said two

helicopters with monsoon buckets were dousing the blaze, and a ground crew was on

standby.

Those buckets were being refilled with water from the river.

The fire was not posing a threat to people, homes or livestock.

However, it was still too hot and difficult to access for the ground crew to be

deployed, she said.

The 200 hectares include private land and the Department of Conservation-

managed Ranana/Morikau Scenic Reserve.

The fire has spread  upriver towards Pipiriki.

"There's a lot of fuel out there at the moment, and by fuel I mean dry vegetation,"

Ms Norgate said.

About half the area affected by fire was under control.

Weather conditions, including minimal wind, were favourable and not

exacerbating the fire, the cause of which was unclear at this point,

Ms Norgate said.