Fire crews responded to reports of a fire on a hillside on the Otago Peninsula earlier this afternoon.
The fire was reported to be above McTaggart St, near Company Bay.
However, a Fire and Emergency New Zealand spokesman said when a crew from the St Kilda station arrived they investigated and found the two permitted burns were under control.
It began raining in Dunedin shortly after crews were called, which seemed to have assisted with keeping the blaze under control.
An Otago Daily Times reporter across the harbour on the cycle path near the Burkes St Leonards Boating Club said he could see flames in about four separate locations on the hillside, and the blaze appeared to be threatening a shelter belt.
He said he could smell woodsmoke from the fire and flames were clearly visible.
