Re lit fires spark warning | Hawkes Bay News | Local News in Hawkes Bay

A fire that was re-ignited by warm winds on Monday, two weeks after it was lit as a controlled burn, has prompted a request from fire authorities to ensure fires are safely put out.

The fire burnt on a section of farmland off Puketitiri Rd and covered an area of about 100m.

A call just before 7pm notified Patoka and Puketitiri rural fire brigades of the blaze.

They stayed on site for about four hours to make sure it was fully dampened down.

Hastings District Council principal rural fire officer Don Scott said, "There was an area of tree waste about 100m long which caught alight and was threatening a roadside shelterbelt of mature pine trees.

"A farmer had been burning waste there about two weeks earlier."

The second wave of fire left charred grass and wood in its wake, but was caught before it caused any major damage.

Mr Scott said he attended a similar incident in Wairoa about a week ago.

"In that particular case, a farmer had been clearing some land and he had finished burning about two weeks beforehand.

"Strong winds re-lit the fire and it ended up burning about three hectares of scrub and threatening a house."

About three weeks before that, another re-ignited fire, originally lit by a farmer in Eskdale, burned a hectare of bush.

"We are starting to notice a bit of a trend."

Mr Scott felt it was necessary to remind people to be safe when dealing with fire outdoors.

"If there is wind coming, check your fires.

"Basically rubbish holes or anywhere farmers have been doing burning on the ground, there is the potential for re-ignition.

"They need to be wary of the wind."