Rural firefighters spent the day yesterday opening up hot spots at a gorse fire that got out of control on Scroggs Hill, near Dunedin, on Wednesday.
Dunedin City Council principal rural fire officer Graeme Still said he expected firefighters would have to return for the last bit of work today, but yesterday's drizzle had helped matters immensely and the fire was well under control.
Five helicopters, three fire crews and two rural tankers were needed to fight the blaze on Wednesday after a controlled burn in gorse spread.
