Fire spread in strong winds

Firefighters say strong winds are hampering their efforts to contain a forest fire north west of Dunedin and it may continue burning through to the weekend.

The Mt Allan Forest fire has now consumed 820 hectares of trees and scrub since breaking out about 4pm on Tuesday in a cut-over forestry block just above the Taieri River.

Principal rural fire officer Graeme Still said  a wind shift from a northerly earlier today to a westerly had relieved worries the fire might burn under electricity cables, and that during the afternoon the wind speed had dropped to about 20kmh, It was up to  60kmh earlier in the day.

One crew will be left to keep an eye on the fire overnight.

Tomorrow Mr Still plans to mount a big ground-based operation with over 40 firefighters split into eight crews. Some will work with helicopter pilots dropping water scooped with monsoon buckets from the Taieri River, and others will use bulldozers and diggers to open up ground on the fire's most active front so that the water can penetrate to burning roots and other material.

Some of the ground crews were today able to tackle the blaze head on after spending much of the past few days relying on the efforts of 10 helicopters and a fixed wing aircraft.

Firefighters have also been working to ensure Dunedin's Silverstream water catchment area several kilometres away to the east was protected.

The fire's size increased by only about 100 hectares today.

Dunedin City Council civil defence and rural fire manager Neil Brown said a national incident team had arrived today to help with logistics and while the fire was being contained, it was not yet controlled.

The five families evacuated so far will remain away from their homes overnight.

Walking tracks in and around the area remain closed, while trips by the Taieri Gorge excursion train across the southern part of the forest have been cancelled.

These measures will be reviewed tomorrow morning.

Dunedin City Council and neighbouring Clutha and Southland district councils, the Department of Conservation, Civil Defence and police have been involved in fighting the blaze, in addition to the company that owns the forest Wenita Forest Products.

The fire apparently started from a spark caused by friction from a logging rope, Wenita head David Cormack said.

It was too soon for the company to estimate its financial losses as a result of the fire.

Mt Allan Forest comprises a single block about 10km north of Mosgiel, and covers 4958 hectares, of which 4420 hectares is growing trees or awaiting replanting. The forest covers an area of steep and very steep slope ranging from inland hills through to the Otago uplands. Dunedin City Council water pipelines cross the south corner of the forest as do high-tension powerlines.

The forest mainly grows radiata pine but also has some douglas fir and eucalypts.

 

Earlier report: The weather gods have this morning finally smiled on firefighters battling an enormous blaze in forest land 30km northwest of Dunedin.

 

• Slideshow: Smoky skies as firefighters struggle

Nine helicopters took to the skies this morning to continue their assault on the flames that have razed more than 700 hectares since Tuesday.