Firefighters have contained a vegetation fire burning along State Highway 7 between Hanmer Springs and Springs Junction.

Fire and Emergency New Zealand Assistant Commander Dave Key said 30 firefighters, an incident management team, multiple fire appliances, two helicopters, and an excavator were working at the scene this morning.

“No houses or structures were lost overnight, and crews are continuing structure protection today,” he said. The fireground remains at 40 hectares.

State Highway 7 through Lewis Pass is open with a 30 km/h speed limit, and Key urged drivers to stick to the limit for firefighter safety.

“People driving through should expect to see smoke and may observe flames at times. If anyone sees anything of concern, they should call 111.”

Fire investigators are back at the site today to determine the cause of the fire, which was reported around 2:30 pm yesterday. Key said several people had provided useful information, photos, and videos from the early stages of the fire.

“This is very helpful for our fire investigators. If anyone else has footage or information, please email [email protected] or message our Canterbury District Facebook page.”

Fire crews are preparing for challenging conditions this afternoon, with high temperatures and strong winds expected.