A helicopter with a monsoon bucket dumps water on the Titahi Bay fire. Photo: RNZ / Angus Dreaver
Firefighters have contained a 10-hectare blaze in the Porirua suburb of Titahi Bay.
Fire and Emergency said three helicopters with monsoon buckets and seven ground crews were still working hard to eliminate hotspots ahead of a windy forecast on Saturday.
Fire and Emergency received a call about the fire at about 11pm on Thursday and the first crews were onsite 10 minutes later.
By Friday morning the fire had burnt through 10 hectares of vegetation in Whitireia Park, Fire and Emergency said in a statement.
If you've witnessed the fire, and would like to share photos or your story with us, please email it to: iwitness@radionz.co.nz
Fire crews will be on the scene throughout the day and overnight, with more teams likely to be brought in tomorrow.
A drone crew will help identify hotspots on Friday afternoon.
Incident controller Steve Hudson earlier told Morning Report the 10-hectare blaze covered very hilly terrain, and strong winds overnight had helped the flames to spread quickly.
Firefighters were hoping the forecast dropping winds would help the situation, but there were a number of houses that could be in the firing line if the wind changed, he said.
"We're at the top at the golf course at Gloaming Hill, Titahi Bay. There are a number of properties that are along the top of the ridge, they would be our concern if the wind changed and started crossing the gully where the fire currently is.
"So we have spare crews available to respond to exposure protection if that happened."
Hudson said it was still unclear how the fire started.
"We roughly know where it started but we've asked for a specialist fire investigator from the Wairarapa to come in and do an assessment once it's safe enough to enter the area."
Smoke from the fire in Titahi Bay as seen from Papakowhai, Porirua on Thursday night. Photo: Charlotte White
Fire and Emergency said additional rural firefighters were being brought in to support and relieve the urban and rural crews who had been working overnight.
Smoke is affecting a large part of Porirua and the Public Health Service said those who are affected should go inside and close the windows and doors and turn off air conditioning units.
"The smoke is drifting across Porirua Harbour and people have been smelling it ... in the Hutt Valley and further afield as well, even in parts of Wellington in the early hours of the morning," said Hudson.
"We actually fielded a lot of 111 calls to smoke in those areas but after investigation it was deemed that the smoke was coming from this fire."
Porirua mayor Anita Baker said Fire and Emergency had the situation under control but people needed to stay away from the fire site.
Smoke could irritate the eyes, nose, throat and airways and smokers, the elderly, children and those with asthma, heart or lung disease were most at risk, said the Public Health Service.
A helicopter with a monsoon bucket dropping water on the fire in Whitireia Park, Titahi Bay. Photo: Charlotte White
A spokesperson said no homes had been told to evacuate, but the public should stay away from the area.
Electrical crews were assessing any damage to power lines. About 900 houses in the area were without power from about 11pm Thursday, but all connections were restored by 5am Friday.
Wellington Electricity said it was too early to tell whether the fault was caused by the blaze, or whether the fire had caused any other damage to its infrastructure.
Fire and Emergency incident controller Steve Hudson said there was an 11,000V (high voltage) powerline running through Whitireia Park.
Nick Pyatt said they were working with Wellington Electricity. Photo: RNZ / Angus Dreaver
Fire and Emergency incident controller Nick Pyatt said they were aware of an explosion in the area overnight, but were unsure whether it was linked to the fire.
"[It's] too early to tell. I would imagine a flash and an explosion would probably go together but we're not sure whether it was a result of the fire or before it."
They were working closely with Wellington Electricity, he said.
Papakowhai resident Liam Glanville said he and his partner saw a massive flash in the sky last night.
Two helicopters with monsoon buckets had been flying in the area this morning, he said.
MetService meteorologist John Law told Morning Report the windy dry conditions forecast in the Wellington region would not be helpful to fire crews.
"I think looking at the wind speeds today around the Wellington area, we're looking at mainly that northerly sticking with a fairly constant speed as we head through most of the daytime, and so no great changes in direction there.
"We are likely to see that wind picking up tomorrow, which I'm sure the team are very aware of and very concerned about.
"But I think for today, it's really those, those dry conditions and that wind and those high temperatures as well, which are all adding into that risk factor, I'm sure."
