Hight winds created problems for Southland firefighters during a difficult day in the province yesterday.
Gusts of up to 54kmh buffeted the province as brush fires kept firefighters around the district busy.
Two scrub fires on a rural site in Otapiri Gorge Rd, near Winton, and another in Otautau-Drummond Rd required firefighters from throughout the district.
A Fire Service spokesman said rural firefighters with support from units from Balfour, Browns, Dipton, Drummond, Hedgehope, Lumsden and Winton were needed to tackle the two fires in Otapiri Gorge Rd.
Both were under control by about 5pm and no structures were threatened, he said.
Units from Otautau, Tuatapere, Thornbury and Blackmount tackled the blaze in Otautau-Drummond Rd, while rural firefighters responded from the nearby fires in Otapiri Gorge Rd, he said.
They had the blaze under control by 5.15pm.
Fire Service Southland area commander Bruce Stubbs said the high winds had caused ''issues with the ashes''.
