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Three fire crews with two helicopters and two bulldozers have continued to fight the Matakana Island fire today after an outbreak yesterday.
The fire is expected to continue to need monitoring for the next several days.
“We left a team on the island overnight,” says Fire Emergency NZ shift manager Craig Dalley.
Fire crews set out on a barge to Matakana Island this morning to join the crew that had stayed on Saturday night.
A large plume of smoke was seen billowing off the island on Saturday around 1 p.m. after the fire, which started a week ago, leapt through a firebreak and began to spread.
Four helicopters and three fire crews fought the blaze during Saturday afternoon and night.
The fire on Saturday afternoon. Photo: Glenda Maplesden
The fire that originally started on December 13 has had a few outbreaks that firefighters have been handling. During the week, a team has been on the island shutting down hot spots and monitoring the fire.
On Saturday, after the firebreak was breached, the fire sent a long snake of smoke and ash running through the harbor, causing annoyance to many residents from Welcome Bay to Waihi Beach, and was reported to be causing concern in Rotorua after that exploded. through the Kopurereura valley towards Pyes Pa and Oropi.
Smoke from the fire on Matakana Island blowing towards Pyes Pa photographed from the Minden. Photo: Andrew Scott
