A large vegetation fire that tore through an estimated 1350ha of land has been contained this evening after burning for three days.
The blaze broke out near Walter Peak Station on Tuesday afternoon. The fire had burned through 1400ha of tussock and scrub on the southern shores of Lake Wakatipu near Queenstown, Fire and Emergency NZ said yesterday evening.
Fire and Emergency NZ District Commander Blair Kiely said this evening that the Walter Peak fire "has been fully contained, and firefighters have demobilised this evening".
"After an assessment of the conditions on the ground this afternoon and the expected weather, the fireground is being handed back to the landowners to manage." An exclusion zone for vessels near the Walter Peak shoreline had been lifted.
Kiely said some areas may continue to smoulder over the coming days and people may notice smoke.
"Flare-ups will be monitored and Fire and Emergency will respond if there are any indications that fire could spread outside the perimeter. A further aerial inspection of the fireground will be made on Monday."
The fire had burned an estimated 1350ha of land, he said – mostly on Walter Peak Station, Cecil Peak Station and adjoining Conservation Estate.
Kiely thanked all personnel involved in the firefighting response and highlighted the importance of working alongside the Department of Conservation, landowners and iwi to bring the fire under control.
Earlier today, he told Breakfast that rain overnight had been good news for the crews en route to fight the fire.
"We're really hopeful that the weather conditions, a bit of rain around, are going to help," he said. "Cooler temperatures will help as well."
A combination of ground crews and air units would be on site this morning, focusing mainly on the area around Walter Peak Station.
"We're pretty confident that the homestead is in a good spot now, and the rest we're just sort of monitoring."
Kiely said the biggest challenge remained the area's topography.
"There's a lot of fuels – tussocks and grasses up high – that are burning really well."
While there had been a "massive reduction" in smoke over the last two days, Kiley said residents should keep their windows closed and avoid using air conditioning.
A senior specialist fire investigator will carry out a formal investigation to determine the cause and origin of the blaze, including its possible connection with the controlled burn undertaken on the Walter Peak High Country Farm on September 30.
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