Warning after fire threatens houses

Central Otago residents are being warned about the district's extreme fire risk following a close call in Clyde, where a blaze threatened houses and businesses along the town's main street.

More than 30 volunteer firefighters from Clyde and Alexandra spent nearly two hours battling a scrub fire on an embankment from 9.30pm on Sunday, as neighbouring property owners anxiously watched and prepared for the worst.

Clyde Volunteer Fire Brigade Chief Fire Officer Richard Davidson said the occupants and owners of property situated just metres from the fire had a lucky break, and it was a timely reminder to all about the danger fire still posed in the area.

"There's a very extreme fire risk at the moment with a huge amount of fuel around, and we were very lucky we stopped it before it jumped the road," he said.

A hose was left on site throughout the evening in case the blaze sparked up again, he said.

"There was a northwest wind at the time blowing flames towards the town, and the risk from those sorts of fires especially is travelling embers which can be blown into gutters or piles of rubbish.

"People in nearby homes were out on the street showing concern.

"Some had garden hoses and it was quite frightening for them," he said.

Mr Davidson said the fire appeared to have started at the bottom of the bank along the edge of a tar-sealed road and spread up towards houses and businesses between Sunderland St and a section of Miners Lane.

It was not known how the blaze started.

"It didn't start of its own accord...but I can't determine whether it was an accident or not at this stage," he said.

People needed to be "extremely careful" to prevent further fires in the area, he said.

"There is such a lot of high vegetation around and it's extremely dry.

"The fire risk is so high."

East Otago firefighters will be anxiously watching a southerly storm with high winds due to hit today as they dampen down hot spots which destroyed about 7ha of pine plantation at Meadowbank, near Palmerston, during the weekend.

The fire, called in on Saturday, burst into flames again on Sunday but was under control yesterdaywith a helicopter and six firefighters on the ground using heat detection equipment to locate hot spots.

Waitaki District Council emergency services manager Chris Raine said yesterday the Waitaki rural firefighters were to be relieved by a Department of Conservation last night to enable them to get some rest.

The helicopter was also stood down at dusk.

The Doc crew would continue to monitor hot spots and be replaced by Waitaki fire crews tomorrow who would continue the work.

Mr Raine did not know how long fire crews would have to continue dampening down hot spots.

"I suspect we could be here for some time," he said.

The fire had got into root systems and some hot spots were up to 75cm below the ground. Working on a 45deg slope was also making the job difficult.

Tomorrow, the southerly change is predicted to bring up to 100kmh winds in some areas, along with some rain.

"We don't know what will happen [to the fire].

"We will just have to keep a close watch that it doesn't ignite from hot spots," he said.

It would also depend on how much rain came with the change.

Another front was predicted for later in the week.

Fire crews had been concentrating on hot spots around the flanks of the fire to clear an area away from trees which had not been burnt.

The Waitaki District Council has a restricted fire season in place, but that could change later this week or early next week, its emergency services manager, Chris Raine, said yesterday. .

A total fire ban could be imposed, although that would depend on the amount of rain received in two southerly fronts expected today and later this week, he said.