The man charged with setting fire to a large pile of tyres north of Christchurch has been given a registrars remand and granted interim name suppression.
Photo: Supplied / Hurunui District Council
The 63-year-old, who did not appear, was due back in court in three weeks' time.
The fire began on Friday afternoon on Racecourse Road in Amberley.
The pile of about 160,000 tyres was fully engulfed in flames, sending thick black smoke into the air.
The community had asked the Canterbury Regional Council and the government to take urgent action to clean up the tyre pile which had been set alight before.
While the tyres were continuing to smoulder, Fire and Emergency had now handed control of the site back to the landowner.
However it said it was ready to assist should the blaze get out of control.
Council was monitoring air quality downwind from the tyres and checking 11 private water wells for contamination.
