Waikato farmers are being urged to check rubbish and land clearance fires to ensure they are out with extreme fire danger forecast for the next few days.
Photo: supplied
The Waikato district, including the Coromandel, is in a prohibited fire season.
Fire and Emergency district manager Daryl Trim said fire brigades were stretched yesterday attending a fire caused by a rubbish fire pit at Lake Karāpiro.
A second fire at Pokuru, near Te Awamutu, was started by two old rubbish fires and ended up burning four hectares of grass and threatened to damage a house.
"Attendance at these wildfires is putting an unnecessary strain on our firefighting resources," Trim said.
"Yesterday our fire brigades were fully stretched attending a fire caused by a rubbish fire pit at Lake Karāpiro which required a helicopter plus Cambridge, Te Awamutu, Pirongia and Hamilton Ops Fire brigades.
"The second fire at Pokuru near Te Awamutu, was started by two separate old rubbish fires, which ended up burning four hectares of grass, with the responding brigades saving a house, aided by a wind shift."
He also reminded farmers to ensure firefighters could access their properties.
A fire appliance responding to one of the fires this week was unable to access the property because of overhanging branches on the driveway.
A fire truck needed a minimum 4 metres by 4 metres clearance to access a driveway, Trim said.
"Unfortunately, if we can't access your farm drive, our help will be delayed or limited."