A haze covered Balclutha this afternoon as fire-fighters battled a blaze at the outskirts of the town.
A plantation near the Balclutha Golf Course and beside the Kaitangata Highway caught alight shortly before 4pm.
Senior fire-fighter Jason Lyall, of Balclutha, said about 15 crew attended the blaze and a helicopter was called in to help dampen the flames.
Mr Lyall said despite rain earlier in the week, the plantation was very dry and caught fire quickly.
Fire-fighters closed the Kaitangata Highway for an hour while the helicopter dropped water from a monsoon bucket.
Half a hectare of the plantation, believed to be owned by the Clutha District Council, was ablaze for more than two hours.
The scene was handed over to volunteers from rural fire at 6pm to finish putting out the flames.
The cause of the fire is unknown.
