Queenstown Airport communications manager Jen Andrews said the control tower was sufficiently concerned about the smoke to report it to Fire and Emergency (Fenz) about 10.30am, but there was no impact on flights.
Two fire trucks from Frankton Volunteer Fire Brigade and two from the Arrowtown rural fire force were called to the burn-off on Queenstown Park Station, on the south side of the Kawarau River.
The station, formerly called Cone Peak Station, is owned by a Porter Group company.
Frankton Volunteer Fire Brigade officer in charge Michael Ide said the smoke came from seven large piles of land clearance debris.
He was told by the airport's control tower the smoke was ''causing a nuisance'' for aircraft approaching the runway.
''We just dampened them down, and [the farmer] will have to re-light them when the conditions are more suitable for it, or remove it in another way.''
He did not blame the farmer, citing the weather.
''The conditions this morning when they lit them were probably in their favour. Then the wind's stopped and the smoke's just drifted up.''
Firefighters spent about three and a-half hours at the scene, he said.
Remarkables Park general manager of development Brian Fitzpatrick, of the Porter Group, said Fenz was informed about the burn-off before it was lit at 9.12am.
