The Waimate fire which blazed across 178ha just before Christmas has still not been declared officially out, a formal process which South Canterbury principal rural fire officer Rob Hands is cautious about rushing into.
The fire on the Hunter Hills, south of Waimate, was first reported on December 23, and at its peak was fought by 63 fire fighters, seven helicopters, two bulldozers, two smoke chasers and six tankers with crews coming from as far away as Southland and Northland to help.
Since then, the fire area has been monitored regularly by rural fire officers.
"From the layman's point of view it is out, but we are still monitoring it," Mr Hands said.
Since the fire started, there had been about 40mm of rain, with 30mm falling in one night between Christmas and the new year.
"But I am cautious because we used bulldozers around the edge of the fire and you can bury hot spots which can reignite at a later date.
"I am pushing that [officially declaring the fire out] as far as possible to let those burn out," he said.
Later this week, after liaising with Waimate fire volunteers, a ground check with a thermal camera would be made around the boundary of the fire.
A decision would then be made whether the fire could be officially declared out.
Once declared out, national funding for it ended.
If it flared up again, then it was regarded as a new fire with a different cause.
"There's no great rush to declare it out, so I'm just being cautious about that."
The cause of the fire was still not known.
