Fire rips through Central Otago farmland after 'massive bang' heard over Cromwell

Monday, 4 November 2019

Fire engines and helicopters are battling a fire in Cromwell, Central Otago ripping across farmland.

Helicopters equipped with monsoon buckets were used to contain a scrub fire that ripped across eight hectares of Central Otago farmland.

Eight fire crews attended the fire in Bannockburn, near Cromwell, and several helicopters crews were sent to the scene on Monday afternoon.

Southern fire communications shift manager Daryl Ball said the blaze spread over about 8ha of farmland, but no properties were damaged.

Fire crews battle a blaze across 8 hectares of farmland near Cromwell, Central Otago, on Monday.

'We had two crews on property protection but that was only a precaution. The fire is contained and we are in the process of mopping up,' he said on Monday evening.

Fire crews were alerted to the fire about 1pm.

At least four helicopters were taking water from Cromwell's Lake Dunstan to douse a blaze on the nearby hill on Monday.

Ball said more ground crews and two helicopters equipped with monsoon buckets were requested to help fight the fire shortly after 2pm.

With a run of high temperatures and dry grass, Fire and Emergency New Zealand declared a three-day fire ban across the region on Saturday.

The fire is burning through about six hectares of scrub.

Fire engines and helicopters are battling a fire, which is burning through about six hectares of scrub in Cromwell, Central Otago, on Monday afternoon.

Helicopters with monsoon buckets could be seen dropping water on the fire.

Large plumes of smoke can be seen billowing from the scrub fire.

Cromwell resident Brigitte Tait said she heard a 'massive bang', then saw orange flames and smoke on a nearby hillside.

'Initially I thought it was as the high school, but then I heard sirens and saw all this smoke in the air and orange flames.'