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A fire that forced the evacuation of 16 homes in Christchurch’s Port Hills has been contained, but crews hope to stay there overnight to ensure it doesn’t reignite.
Fire and Emergency New Zealand (Fenz) received multiple calls about a fire on Galilee Ln, Clifton, around 11.30am on Tuesday. It was the second fire in Christchurch’s Port Hills in less than a week.
Sixteen homes were evacuated as a precaution on Revelation Drive, Galilee Ln, and Bayview Rd.
Joseph Johnson / Stuff
A helicopter with a monsoon bucket works to contain a bush fire in Clifton, Christchurch.
About a dozen fire trucks, two water tankers, four helicopters and a commando unit helped contain the fire, which spread over about 4 to 6 hectares of brush.
The helicopter was deemed to be under control around 2 p.m., but helicopter crews would continue to dump water over the area Tuesday afternoon, and firefighters were expected to stay there overnight to monitor critical points.
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Clifton Tce remained closed on Main Rd, and people were asked to stay away from the area to allow emergency services to function.
“Road users are advised to follow the directions of emergency services in the area,” the Christchurch Transportation Operations Team said in a statement.
Amber Allott / Stuff
Lindsay Breach and Annette Griffiths were hiking in Mt Pleasant when the fire broke out.
Lindsay Breach and Annette Griffiths were walking to the top when the fire broke out, but they were able to escape hopefully.
“In fact, we could hear the crackle and roar. We ran pretty fast after that, ”Breach said.
The couple encountered another group of young women heading towards the cave and had to turn them around.
“The firefighters and everyone have done very well protecting the houses up there,” Breach said.
Joseph Johnson / Stuff
Spectators watch a helicopter drop water on the fire.
The Canterbury Community and Public Health Unit issued a public health warning due to smoke emanating from the fire.
Cheryl Brunton, a Canterbury medical health officer, warned that exposure to smoke could worsen pre-existing health conditions, such as asthma and heart disease.
“People affected by smoke should close windows and doors and reduce outdoor exercise.”
Anyone experiencing health issues should call their regular general practice team first, Brunton said.
Stacy Squires / Stuff
A helicopter drops water on a brush fire in Port Hills in Christchurch on Tuesday.
Guy Bennett-Longley, who lives on nearby Moncks Spur Rd, said he saw at least three helicopters with buckets of rain.
A large amount of smoke was blowing towards Lyttelton during the peak of the fire, and it appeared to be moving down the hill near the houses.
Traffic was jammed in both directions around Redcliffs and Sumner, he said.
Guy Bennett-Longley
A bush fire on Galilee Lane in Christchurch prompted several homes to be evacuated on Tuesday.
Heathcote Councilor Sara Templeton said the smoke had been visible from the main city hall building in the city center.
“Residents in the area have been concerned about the risk of fire for some time and this is a timely reminder of those risks,” he said.
Tuesday’s fire follows another in nearby Hillsborough on Friday night, which burned about 70 acres and forced a dozen residents from their homes on Port Hills Rd and in the Avoca Valley area. They were allowed to return home Saturday afternoon after the fire, believed to have been caused by fireworks, was contained.
Guy Bennett-Longley / Stuff
Firefighters and helicopter crews are fighting a blaze in Clifton, Christchurch, on Tuesday.
The only structure destroyed in the fire was a barn owned by Kester Vos. It contained construction materials and equipment and was completely destroyed. It was not insured and the material was worth about $ 30,000.
Fenz said on Tuesday that all of Canterbury would go into a restricted fire season beginning at midnight Wednesday.
It meant that a permit might be required to start a fire outside, and the permits might come with special conditions.
Canterbury Region Manager Paul Henderson asked people to abide by the restrictions and be safe from the fire.
“A 30 degree days are forecast for Canterbury later this week. This heat, combined with the dry and windy conditions, increases the fire hazard and the risk of a wildfire, ”he said in a statement.
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A road is partially blocked because emergency services tend to a fire in Christchurch on Tuesday.
Christchurch reached 24 ° C around 2 p.m. Tuesday, and was expected to warm later in the week, with a forecast high of 27 ° C on Wednesday and 30 ° C on Saturday, according to the MetService website.
“There have already been three major fires in Canterbury this fire season: Lake Pukaki, Lake Ōhau and last weekend’s Hillsborough fire in Port Hills.”
People needed to take fire risk seriously, he said.
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Helicopters with rain buckets are throwing water on the fire in Christchurch.
“Please don’t miss fireworks in Canterbury during the summer; it is too risky with the heat and extreme dryness of the area ”.
People also had to be careful when performing activities that could generate sparks, such as cutting or grinding.
“Under these conditions, a firework, or a machine spark, could easily start a wildfire that would quickly spiral out of control.”
ALDEN WILLIAMS / Stuff
Wildfire Manager Brian Keown monitors critical points at the scene of a fire in Hillsborough, Christchurch.
