Two helicopters with monsoon buckets are battling a large tussock fire fanned by gale-force winds this afternoon in a remote area of Danseys Pass, as ground fire crews walk in to the site.
Southern Fire communications centre shift manager Andrew Norris said the fire at Timber Creek, 5km north of the Danseys Pass Hotel, was spreading rapidly.
"Winds are blowing at 100kmh and the initial report was that the fire was 200m wide and spreading quickly.''
Rural fire and Department of Conservation fire crews are walking into the area as it is inaccessible by road.
Doc Central Otago manager Mike Tubbs said it was unclear at the moment whether the fire was on Doc land or farmland. It was tall tussock country, just on the Otago side of Danseys Pass, and about a square kilometre had been burned so far.
"The ground crews - about 12 people - are on their way in to the fire,'' he said.
Helicopters from Wanaka and Mosgiel were fighting the blaze using monsoon buckets but the high winds made that a difficult task.
"The forecast is for the high winds to continue, which is concerning,'' Mr Tubbs said.
The neighbouring farmers had all been alerted.
