The fire started on March 9 last year, during a total prohibited fire season, and ultimately burnt about 10ha on the lower slopes.
Rural fire crews and helicopters from the Queenstown Lakes District Council and Department of Conservation were used to dampen down hotspots the next day because the fire was deemed too dangerous to fight when it broke out around 8pm.
A group of six English people were later asked to pay $16,131.70 to the council, the cost of fighting the fire, which included $13,000 for helicopters used to assess the area at the time of the fire and dampen hotspots the following day.
However, council communications manager Michele Poole told the Otago Daily Times that money was paid in September to the council by the national body.
National Rural Fire Authority rural fire manager Russell Barclay, of Dunedin, said the authority was pursuing cost recovery from those responsible, but the matter was subject to a judicial process.
He did not know how long that might take.
The group contacted police the day after the fire and visited the Queenstown station that night to provide statements.
A 29-year-old man said the group had borrowed a boat to travel to Cecil Peak, where they intended to have a barbecue and a few drinks.
However, shortly after they arrived an unattended gas cooker appeared to start the fire, which quickly got out of control.
The man told police at the time the group called 111, provided details of the fire and its location, before leaving the area.
