A fire was tonight raging in a significant conservation area
near Invercargill.
Fire Service southern communications centre shift manager
Karl Patterson said the fire covered about 30ha of manuka
bush and wetlands in the Awarua Bay area.
The Awarua Wetlands are one of the country's largest and are
recognised as an important area for their biological
diversity and cultural values.
It is frequented by foreign migrating and wading bird species
and contains threatened plants and insects, including
sub-alpine species, according to the Department of
Conservation website.
Mr Patterson said firefighters from several stations in
Southland were on their way to the scene, including three
helicopters.
"It's not threatening any property as far as we've been told
but there is a reasonable westerly which is causing it to
spread fairly fast.''
The location of the fire meant access was difficult.
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