A vegetation fire is burning out of control on a sandspit at the bottom of the South Island.
Fire Service southern shift manager Andrew Norris said scrub at Sandy Point on Oreti Beach was engulfed by a fire that had spread across 200 metres.
The fire, which broke out at about 4am, was being fanned by strong nor'west winds and the sandy, remote terrain to the west of Invercargill was making it extremely difficult for crews to get to the fire.
There were only a couple of shingle roads leading to the area and fire trucks were not able to travel on them.
"It's burning uncontained but not threatening anything," Mr Norris said.
There were six New Zealand Fire Service and rural fire service crews on site.
Rain was forecast for mid-morning which was expected to help put out the blaze, he said.
The beach was made famous as the key location for the Burt Munro film The World's Fastest Indian.
