Emergency services were called to the scene in Epsom Rd in the suburb of Sockburn, at 3.10pm today.
Police said the woman refused to leave the property when they arrived.
"Officers spent some time engaging with the woman and she was safely taken into custody at 4.55pm," inspector and response manager Paul Reeves said.
While there was no risk to the wider community, cordons were put in place so emergency services could work safely, he said.
A Fire and Emergency spokesperson told RNZ four fire trucks and a command unit were called to a property.
St John said an ambulance and a rapid response unit also attended, but there were no reports of injuries.
The woman was the sole occupant of the house.
A business owner in Epsom Rd said they could see police on the road, which was blocked off, but did not know what had happened.
A woman in a nearby office building told RNZ she could see "multiple police cars, four fire engines and the command unit", and an ambulance had gone past earlier.
The road appeared to be closed from immediately in front of her building on the edge of a large business park down to Racecourse Rd.
Emergency services had not been in touch, and no one at her office had any information about what was happening, she said.
