No charges for burn pile owner after fires destroy homes

No charges will be laid against the owner of a burn pile that sparked large fires and destroyed four homes in Kaikōura last month.

Fire and Emergency New Zealand (Fenz) says the fires were caused by embers from the burn pile that were spread by high winds.

The fires spread over an area of almost 200 hectares, destroying 33 structures.

Almost 200 volunteer firefighters worked over six days to extinguish the fires amid winds of 150kmh.

A Fenz spokesperson said they would not pursue a prosecution because it was an open fire season when the blaze began.