Fire-fighters working to extinguish the fire at Long Gully. Photo: Fire and Emergency
Firefighters have contained a vegetation fire at Long Gully near Coronet Peak with helicopters today waterbombing pockets of burning vegetation.
Four ground crews and two helicopters with monsoon buckets worked on the fire, which has burnt through 12 hectares of retired high country farmland on Skippers Road.
Incident Controller Nic McQuillan said firefighters had made good progress today and managed to contain the fire to a 12-hectare area of country farmland and wilding pines.
"There has been some damage to fences. We have yet to establish the extent of any damage to other property," he said in a statement.
A helicopter water bombing the fire. Photo: Fire and Emergency
Fire investigators have been at the scene today to investigate the fire's cause.
An aerial reconnaissance flight early tomorrow morning will use thermal imaging to identify the location of any remaining hotspots.
The results of the flight would determine the tactics for ground crews tomorrow, McQuillan said.
Fire crews and helicopters were first called to Coronet Peak last night to battle the blaze.
Light rain this afternoon provided little relief to firefighters and strengthening winds had caused flare-ups on the perimeter.
McQuillan said firefighters would return to the site tomorrow and Skippers Road would remain closed overnight.
Photo: Supplied / Fire and Emergency NZ
Fire-fighting efforts to push into weekend
Another incident controller, Mark Mawhinney, earlier said firefighters expected to continue fighting the blaze into the weekend.
"We're pretty comfortable with where we're at ... we don't think the perimeter's going to spread any further.
"But it's still early days so while we're confident we are still cautious."
Cyclists asked to avoid area
Fire and Emergency asked mountain bikers and other recreational users to keep off the trails in the Long Gully area.
But it said it would not affect the mountain-biking event planned for the south face of Coronet Peak on Saturday.
Firefighters have managed to contain the Long Gully fire but hotspots still remain. Photo: Fire and Emergency
The mountain bike trails close to the fire include the Skippers Pack Track, which is affected by the fire, the Coronet Loop below Greengate Saddle, the Pack Track and Sack Trail and Atleys Terrace Track.
Public access to the area would be reassessed on Saturday morning, Fire and Emergency said.
