Perilous
Times
New Zealand: Wildfire rages through Canterbury earthquake
zone
NZPA
Firefighters battling a Canterbury fire are confident of keeping
it contained despite strong winds forecast for tonight.
Six helicopters and about 50 firefighters, including crews from
Southland and Northland, were working from 7am until 8pm today to
control the forest fire near Waimate, 45km southwest of Timaru.
The fire, burning since Tuesday, had damaged large areas of gorse
and native vegetation.
Northwest winds were forecast so firefighters would be keeping a
close eye on the fire, with four monitoring and patrolling the
fire overnight, he said.
It was likely to be more than a week before the fire would be
declared out as rain was needed to dampen the area, he said.
Tomorrow, they would be sending crews up to help fight an
approximately 60ha scrub and pine fire burning in Leithfield
Beach, 40km northeast of Christchurch.
Principal rural fire officer Graeme Knight said the fire in north
Canterbury was under control but deep-seated in parts of the pine
plantation.
It would require a lot of mopping up, he told Radio New Zealand.
Firefighters in the region are stretched, with smaller fires
breaking out as the area is blasted by hot northwesterlies.