Otago deputy principal rural fire officer Graeme Still said by last night 20 firefighters and a few farmers contained a more than 100ha forest and scrub fire about 3km southwest of Dunback.
Firefighters were called to the fire in Stoneburn Rd, Stoneburn at 6.25am.
The battle was being won last night, and Waitaki Rural firefighters were to continue the fight overnight.
When firefighters arrived, the fire was being spread by up to 70kmh winds. After noon, the fire threatened four houses near Dunback.
''It was very difficult conditions, very very difficult ... It was touch and go there for a while, but we managed to keep it away [from the houses].''
Of the houses under threat, two were vacant and the residents of the other two houses were told to prepare to evacuate, but did not have to leave their properties, he said.
Three helicopters with monsoon buckets were deployed but when a fire started in Saddle Hill, two of the helicopters left Dunback to assist the battle in Dunedin.
At Dunback, the three helicopters were grounded when the wind picked up, but joined the fight when the wind speed dropped to about 30kmh later in the morning.
The helicopters had ''worked the flanks'', extinguishing any spot fires outside the main blaze to ''pinch in'' the edges of the fire.
A southerly wind change in the afternoon assisted the firefighters as they battled the blaze, he said.
No houses were damaged by the fire and no-one was injured, he said.
The fire appeared to have started when a controlled burn about six weeks ago reignited in the windy conditions.
Station Cafe owner Casey Linklater, of Palmerston, said a haze hung over the township yesterday morning and smoke could be smelt.
