Property owners are being urged to remain vigilant over the holiday season, following a spate of grass and scrub fires and a caravan fire which kept firefighters busy yesterday afternoon.
Fire and Emergency New Zealand southern communications shift manager Andrew Norris said the most significant fire was near the New Vale Ohai Coal mine, in Miller Rd, Waitane, where burning grass, scrub and coal was threatening nearby buildings.
He said appliances from Gore, Mataura and Hedgehope were called about 3.55pm and had the fire under control by about 5.30pm.
However, because of the burning coal, it could be days before the fire was properly extinguished, he said.
The fire was not considered suspicious.
"There were multiple seats of fire, but we think they were spot fires created by burning debris being blown from place to place."
Earlier, at 2.15pm, appliances from Te Anau, Blackmount and Mossburn, and a helicopter with a monsoon bucket, were called to another grass and scrub fire near Te Anau.
It took several hours to bring under control, he said.
"Strong winds hampered our attempts to get it under control, and made it a much more difficult fire to contain."
Then at 4.30pm, a Winton fire appliance was sent to Centre Bush where a caravan had caught fire.
"It was just an electrical fire and it was extinguished by the owner before we got there.
"It was a fairly steady old day for firefighters in the South."
Mr Norris said given summer was starting to heat up and ground conditions were only going to get drier over the next two months, the fire danger would increase dramatically.
Mr Norris urged people to be more vigilant about fire safety.
"It is drying out and with the wind conditions, it does make our job more difficult.
"The main thing is that people still continue to check fires and burn-offs that they’ve had over the last month or so, because they do often flare up again with the wind.
"Even if it’s been raining cats and dogs and they think the fire is out, it can still flare up days later unfortunately.
"And it’s only going to get drier out there."
He also recommended people visit the checkitsalright.nz website to make sure ground conditions in their area were safe to light any fires.
