Fire and Emergency New Zealand crews are working to contain a forest fire burning in a forestry block north of Waipara, North Canterbury.

Incident Commander Des Irving said that 30 firefighters were actively fighting the blaze, which has spread to approximately 40 hectares.

“The fire remains within the forest area, but it is not yet contained or controlled,” Irving said.

“We had the fire contained earlier this afternoon, but wind swirls caused the fire to jump the containment line, and it is now burning through unmilled timber.”

An incident management team is on-site and will be working through the night to plan for tomorrow’s activities. Fire crews will stay on site overnight to monitor the situation, with drones being used to assist with fire mapping and gather intelligence.

“We will have multiple helicopters assisting with firefighting efforts tomorrow morning,” Irving said. “Ground crews and heavy machinery will continue working to protect the standing forest and re-establish containment lines.”

With warm and windy weather conditions forecast, Irving urged the people of Canterbury to refrain from lighting fires outdoors in the coming days. “We also urge everyone to check that any old burn piles are fully extinguished,” he added.

Irving thanked the Waipara community for their support and understanding as firefighters continue their efforts. “We expect to remain at the fireground for the rest of the week,” he said.