Rugby field-sized fire for army

Live fire exercises at the Waiouru Military Camp have ignited unplanned blazes at the firing range.

Major Patrick Hibbs said as training took place from 7am yesterday, a number of small fires were started on the moving target range at the camp.

It was a result of the tracer from their 9mm gun ammunition, he said.

A fire engine and helicopter were on call during the day.

At 4pm the helicopter was called to put out a ‘‘rugby field’’ sized fire.

But given the size of area they work in, ‘‘that’s nothing for us’’, he said.

At the end of last month, a live-ammunition exercise by the Singaporean Army is believed to have started a fire that scorched nearly 350 hectares of Waiouru grassland.

- © Fairfax NZ News