Live: Homes evacuated as winds fuel Canterbury bush fires

Fire fighters have been battling a massive blaze in steep Canterbury scrub, at Bridge Hill, since Thursday, and now have three more large fires on their hands in the region. Photo: Supplied/ Canterbury Fire and Emergency

After a night of evacuations, firefighters battling four large fires in Canterbury have seen some successes this morning, with perimeters holding so far at a blaze near homes in West Melton.

The West Melton fire, near Christchurch, broke out on Sunday night and quickly spread, fanned by strong winds, to reach more than 130 hectares by early Monday morning. But hastily constructed firebreak perimeters had the fire controlled before 9am, Fire and Emergency Assistant Commander Dave Key said. Though he said there was still a long road ahead of them to put it out fully.

Nearby, 50 nearby households that were evacuated overnight, along with people staying at a caravan park, had been allowed to return but warned to be ready to leave quickly if the situation worsens.

No homes had been damaged, but a farm shed and fences had been burned.

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Four helicopters, with monsoon buckets, have joined the efforts this morning.

Further south, at Waihao Downs, near the regional border with Otago, a school and two houses were threatened by a fire on a steep hill. While firefighters on the ground had not been able to reach it, helicopters had been dumping water it since daybreak.

Fire crews are also battling another scrub fire in Kirwee - about about 10km away from the West Melton fire - which is largely contained, though there are concerns it could flare up again in the wind - and a huge scrub fire that began on Thursday at Bridge Hill in hilly Canterbury High Country, which has covered more than 1000 hectares.

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