Marlborough's Rural Fire Officer says it is fortunate a large scrub fire believed to have been started by two boys playing with matches did not happen in the summer.
The blaze began yesterday morning and covered almost seven hectares of the Wither Hill Farm Park near Blenheim.
Fire officer Richard McNamara said crews worked hard today to contain 20 hot spots at the pine plantation believed to have been started by two boys aged about 11 or 12 playing with matches at a campfire.
Mr McNamara said while they did not start the blaze maliciously, he would be speaking to the boys and their parents today.
The situation would have been horrendous had the fire started in the height of summer with less favourable wind conditions, he believed.
