One of those caught up in Saturday's fire near Rolleston has lost most of his personal belongings after the flames got to a storage container.
Ewing Cartwright's home was damaged in the fires near Rolleston. Photo: RNZ / Conan Young
Homeowners caught out in Saturday's fire near Rolleston were cleaning up and salvaging today.
Three homes were badly damaged and a fourth totally destroyed in the space of just three hours.
Ewing Cartwright was waiting to hear from his insurer if his home could be repaired.
But he has had to say goodbye to most of his furniture and personal belongings, which were being stored in a container while he was having earthquake repairs done.
"Because it was so hot with everything else burning beside it, it didn't take much [fire] inside the container and there she goes."
Mr Cartwright said the fire was so hot that it melted the wing mirrors on a fire truck.
He was thankful to all of those who stopped the flames from completely destroying his home.
The cause of the fire has yet to be determined.
After damping down hotspots from Saturday's fire near Rolleston, crews have now left the area.
Rain falling over many parts of Canterbury since last night has helped reduce the fire risk.
North Canterbury principal rural fire officer Bruce Janes said investigators were still looking into what started the blaze.
