A vegetation fire on the Tiwai Peninsula that initially covered just 126 hectares overnight has, due to high temperatures and winds, grown to now cover 1.200 hectares this evening (30 Jan).

This makes the current fire area almost as large as the 2022 wildfire that burnt 1,330 hectares of nearby Awarua Wetland in April of that year.

The latest fire started around midnight (29 Jan) with seven Fire and Emergency (FENZ) ground crews initially attending.

Photo: FENZ

Ten helicopters and eight crews have been fighting the fire today, which now has an 18 kilometer perimeter.

FENZ firefighters will work until 6pm tonight, then two crews will monitor the fire overnight.

All crews will return at 7am tomorrow to continue battling the fire.

Incident Controller Hamish Angus said the fire was not an immediate threat to people, homes, the smelter, or the Tiwai Bridge.

"The Tiwai Bridge is closed to all traffic except our crews and the smelter staff, and we’re asking people to keep away from Tiwai Road so we can continue to work safely," he said.

"We are working closely with mana whenua and the Department of Conservation, to ensure culturally and ecologically sensitive areas still threatened by the fire are prioritised for protection."

Tiwai Peninsula ablaze last night. Photo: Michael Bailey

Awarua Rūnaka Manager Gail Thompson says she is deeply saddened at the damage caused in such a short time.

"This peninsula is a precious taonga, with a history going back a long way, which is important to Ngai Tahu," she said.

Thompson said she was happy to see the newly-established Mana Whenua Emergency Facilitator for Murihiku, Angie Hopkinson, at the site to support Fire and Emergency and the Department of Conservation with the response.

Department of Conservation’s Operation Manager for Murihiku, John McCarroll, says Awarua Peninsula has considerable environmental value, and today’s fire is a huge blow.

"Awarua has a significant number of biodiversity values and is used by a lot of wading birds for flocking and feeding, including the endangered Southern New Zealand Dotterel/Pukunui," he said.

"As well as the loss of wildlife, we’ve also lost assets such as predator-trapping infrastructure."

"We will assess the losses once the fire is under control and we can return there safely. We may never know the full impact on biodiversity, but it is likely significant."

Invercargill MP Penny Simmonds said it was a terrible scrub fire and urged everyone fighting it to stay safe. She also said people with respiratory issues should stay indoors and to close windows due to the smoke.

The nearby Awarua wetland is also a Department of Conservation area of environmental significance, which was devastated in April 2022 when wildfire burnt through 1,330 hectares.