More than 10 appliances and about 50 firefighters are battling a blaze in the coastal town of Raglan, 48km west of Hamilton, tonight.
Firefighters from around the Waikato are fighting the fire which is burning in toi toi and grass on an embankment above Ngarunui Beach.
Northern fire communications shift manager Jaron Phillips said more than half a hectare of steep, almost cliff like terrain was on fire.
Emergency services were alerted to the blaze just before 4.30pm.
The fire was spreading in the 30-knot wind and has moved into native plants. The fire front was currently 600m across and access to the fire is proving difficult, Mr Phillips said.
Crews have responded from as far away as Pirongia, Ngaruawahia, Te Akau, Te Awamutu and Hamilton.
A helicopter with monsoon bucket has been scrambled from Thames.
No houses were thought to be threatened by the fire, Mr Phillips said.
