Police said late this afternoon they were assisting Fire and Emergency NZ (Fenz) crews with a number of multiple large fires in Kaikōura. Cordons were in place, with multiple road closures around the area and residents evacuated.
About 800 homes and businesses across Kaikōura have lost power and crews were working to restore it.
Fire and Emergency Assistant National Commander Ken Cooper said in an update at 10pm that firefighters had to deal with multiple blazes breaking out about the same time across Kaikōura.
Wind and fire conditions were extreme and 14 structures were destroyed in the district, including five homes. However, there was no loss of life, he said.
"Our crews worked tirelessly and were able to save five houses from being destroyed. I’d like to extend my sympathy to the people affected by these fires today.
"Crews remain on standby overnight, and will be back on the firegrounds in the morning.
"We expect a comparative lull in the wind tomorrow before it is forecast to strengthen significantly again on Wednesday night and our crews will use this opportunity to make sure the fires are contained and extinguished."
Takahanga Marae was offering accommodation and shelter for those who need it, while police also advised people to travel to the Kaikōura Golf Course.
The Kaikōura District Council said it was a "fragile situation" and people may lose power more than once. "Ensure devices are charging when possible."
An Air New Zealand spokesperson confirmed late this afternoon operations have again been paused at Christchurch Airport, leading to the cancellation of flights in and out of the city due to high winds.
They said it was too early to know how many flights and passengers may be affected or when flights could resume.
Fire crews also battled fires in Canterbury and power had been knocked out to hundreds of properties in the northern part of the region.
In the North Island, schools and businesses are closed in Wairarapa, there are widespread power outages and buses have been suspended, while authorities urge people to stay indoors. Power to hundreds of Hutt Valley properties had also been affected.
In Hawke's Bay, four vegetation fires continue to burn in the Pōrongahau area tonight.
Cooper said none were expected to threaten properties, but about 20 staff would stay overnight to protect structures and monitor the fires.
"Five homes with approximately 15 people have self-evacuated and are staying with family and friends," he says.
"We don’t anticipate any further evacuations will be required."
Approximately 90 personnel responded to the fires, including forestry crews, but severe winds and difficult conditions hampered operations.
"We concentrated on property protection."
There will be 50 to 60 personnel back on the fireground on Wednesday.
Man killed by falling branch
Earlier, a man died after being hit by a falling branch in Wellington, as wild weather caused chaos in central parts of the country.
Gusts of up to 124kmh hit the capital and gales brought down trees across the region.
Police said emergency services received reports of a man suffering critical injuries in Lookout Rd, in the suburb of Mt Victoria, about 9.20am today.
Hataitai resident Kirsten Johnstone told RNZ she came across the man lying unconscious under a tree and called an ambulance. She said it was clear he'd been hit on the head.
"It could have been any of us who underestimate the wind. I don't think we knew how windy it was up on the top of the hill, on the north-facing side until we got up there."
The man was taken to hospital but died a short time later. Police said the death would be referred to the Coroner.
Wellington City Council chief operating officer James Roberts told RNZ at the hillside that there was ongoing danger due to the high gusts and the trees in the area.
"We are asking people to keep out of the bush as much as possible at the moment."
Roberts said once the winds got above 90kmh, branches could become dangerous.
The death in Wellington prompted the city council to urge people to stay out of parks and reserves due to falling trees and branches.
Meanwhile, a woman is in hospital with moderate injuries after being hit by a branch outside a Masterton supermarket today.
New World Masterton owner Kaylea Bradshaw said her husband Nick helped with first aid alongside an off-duty paramedic until the ambulance arrived. She said she'd heard that the woman was recovering well.
Strong winds were blowing over vehicles and snapping large trees in the Hurunui District.
The local council said the wind is also blowing over road signs and roading teams have been told to be vigilant and prepare to close roads if needed. People are urged to stay off the roads if possible.
It comes a day after wild weather lashed much of the South Island, bringing down trees, closing roads and causing major disruptions to many areas.
More wild weather to come
The strong winds battering the lower North Island aren't expected to ease until this evening.
MetService says gusts of about 124kmh have been recorded in Wellington, while wind speeds have reached 140kmh in exposed places.
Meteorologist Mmathapelo Makgabutlane told RNZ's Midday Report programme it has been a day of intense weather.
"In the lower North Island, we're still expecting strong winds all the way this afternoon into the evening. The strongest of those winds are still at the moment for the next couple of hours, still remaining strong this afternoon and only easing later this evening."
Strong winds and heavy rain are again forecast for parts of the country on Thursday.
"We get a little bit of a chance to catch our breath on Wednesday, but Thursday things ramp up and believe it or not it is looking more intense than what we're having today... more wind, further rainfall, so definitely a week to keep an eye on things," Makgabutlane said.
New watches and warnings will begin from midnight on Wednesday. They include heavy rain warnings for Fiordland and the Westland ranges and winds will be severe particularly for Canterbury and Wellington areas.
Flights resume after delays
Passengers travelling through Wellington Airport faced delays this morning as high winds delayed or cancelled several flights.
Air New Zealand paused flights in and out of the airport until 1pm due to the winds. Flights have since resumed, and the airport said it thanked customers "for their patience and understanding while we worked through these weather disruptions today".
Sophie Palmer was returning from a wedding in Hamilton but the final leg of her journey between Wellington and Blenheim was cancelled.
"So, we arrived at approximately 8am this morning, in from Hamilton and it's been a bit of backwards and forwards. A few delays, flight changes, cancellations and our flight changes again.
"So, we're just sticking with the process and honestly hoping we can get somewhere tonight."
Palmer said her flight into Wellington this morning had a rocky landing.
"You could see a few people pretty stressed out and a lot of people gripping their seats pretty hard - it was a scary flight coming in for sure."
"[The] saying is when it's out of your control [you have] just got to let things be and I think that's the good ol' Kiwi way."
The winds prompted several emergency callouts in the Wellington region overnight.
Fenz responded to reports of sheets of roofing lifting in Mornington and solar panels from a street light blown off in Kilbirnie, and attended reports of a roof lifting in Martinborough late on Monday night.
The windows of a house in Carterton have been blown in and trees have been down in the Wairarapa, with one tree blocking State Highway 2 at Clareville for a time.
West Coast flooding and slips
On the West Coast heavy rain caused slips and flooding, closing State Highway 7 through the Lewis Pass and between Dobson and Ngahere.
SH6 was shut at the Inangahua River Bridge due to flooding, as well as SH65 from Shenandoah to Maruia.
People on the coast are line for another drenching, with orange warnings in place for the Westland ranges and Fiordland from midnight on Wednesday.
Heartland Hotel Haast manager Tracey Dinan said she was getting prepared.
"Luckily for the hotel we're at a high point so any flooding sort of goes around us, but we do need to keep watch because we're quite close to the sea and we've got the river right beside us as well."
West Coast Emergency Management's Claire Brown said the region was already saturated so people should expect more flooding on Thursday.
"This is just a really good opportunity for people to do things like clear out the gutters and just check if there's anything on the property that might fly away in a strong wind that that's safely secured."
