Mr Grayland (52), of Alexandra, was ''a leader of men; a gentle, caring person''.
Sergeant Simon Paget, of Cromwell, yesterday said police were still investigating the incident which claimed Mr Grayland's life.
He and another man had been carrying out a controlled burn-off on Northburn Station, near Cromwell, about 4pm on Wednesday.
His co-worker lost contact with him as the burn-off progressed.
The co-worker became concerned and contacted emergency services.
There were no suspicious circumstances and police were investigating Mr Grayland's death on behalf of the coroner, Sgt Paget said.
The Otago Rural Fire Authority and WorkSafe New Zealand were helping police.
Formal identification procedures were used to identify Mr Grayland and his identity was only confirmed yesterday.
A spokesman for Mr Grayland's wife and family declined to comment last night, saying it was ''too soon''.
St John South Island general manager David Thomas said Mr Grayland was a well-respected member of the organisation and his involvement spanned 22 years.
He had served as a paramedic and as Central Otago district operations manager.
His current involvement was as an area committee member.
Mr Thomas said St John would provide support to its team who responded to ''this tragic event.''
''It's always difficult for emergency service staff when they attend the death of a former colleague,'' he said.
The Terrace School principal Garry Anderson said Mr Grayland was a people person and his death was a massive loss to the school and wider community.
''The kids trust him, the teachers trust him, he was a leader of men, a gentle, caring person, who gave and gave to our school - he was one of the school's greatest benefactors, in the time he devoted to this place.''
Mr Grayland's son, Kyle, attended The Terrace in Alexandra, and although it was more than a decade since that formal connection with the school ended, Mr Grayland continued to help out, driving school buses, going on school camps and helping in other ways as a volunteer.
A function was held a couple of years ago to formally recognise his contribution to the school, Mr Anderson said.
''We were trying to thank him for what he'd done for us but he was in tears, saying it was him that was thankful for what we'd done for him and his family - that's the measure of the man.
''He would have to be one of the most amazing men you could come across. It's a terrible tragedy,'' he said.
Northburn staff and management were ''devastated by the tragic loss'', station owner Tom Pinckney said.
Mr Grayland had worked on the farm for 10 weeks and was already a valued and respected member of the team, he said.
''Peter was a thoroughly conscientious worker with a love of the Central Otago outdoors environment.
''We are aware that Peter's loss will be felt throughout the Central Otago community through his varied roles in the past. Our feelings are with his wife Rose and family at this very difficult time,'' Mr Pinckney said.
Mr Grayland joined the police in 1980 and was a police officer for about 17 years, serving in Mataura, Middlemarch and Lawrence.
He then trained as an ambulance officer and moved to Central Otago.
He was a stalwart of the Alexandra Pipe Band as a bass drummer and had recently been elected president.
The band's musical director, Alastair Forbes, of Roxburgh, said Mr Grayland would be a big loss.
''He was very encouraging of the younger members in the band and was keen to get more younger people involved.''
The tall, imposing figure of Mr Grayland was ''probably an archetypical look for a pipe band member and he cut a commanding figure with his bass drum,'' Mr Forbes said.
''He liked nothing more than a good-going 6/8 march.''
Sgt Paget said fire investigators were still working at the Northburn site yesterday .
It was remote, steep and difficult to access, in an area known as the Mount Horn block, near Firewood Creek, across Lake Dunstan from Cromwell.
