Fire and Emergency New Zealand says a vegetation fire which broke out in Kūaotunu on the Coromandel Peninsula yesterday afternoon is now under control, but not yet contained.
Firefighters were called to the scene on Black Jack Rd shortly before 4pm Saturday.
Earlier, FENZ Incident Controller Shane Bromley said three helicopters and four ground crews would continue work on the blaze today.
“There have been no evacuations due to the fire and it’s estimated the fire is approximately 600m x 600m,” he said.
This afternoon Bromley said while the fire is under control, it is not yet contained.
“It is hoped the fire will be contained by the end of today,” he said.
“While flames aren’t visible to the public, the fire is still smouldering. The western side of the fire is inaccessible to ground crews, so we still have three helicopters working on that side of the fire.”
Crews this afternoon are focused on dampening down hotspots and the left-hand flank of the fire.
Black Jack Rd would be closed all day today, with stop go traffic management supporting access for residents.
“There will be periods of total road closure to allow our firefighters to work safely. We will let everyone know when the road reopens.”
Bromley said it was not known how the fire started, but an investigation would take place to determine the cause.
Photos from the scene yesterday showed smoke billowing from the blaze.