Arson suspected in Wellington blaze: police

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DEVASTATING SIGHT: An aerial view shows the extent of the damage from the Titahi Bay blaze.

SPLIT SHIFT: Wellington rural fire fighter Matt King battled the blaze until late at night and was back on duty early yesterday morning.

BACKYARD WATCH: Janine Holmes and her daughter Kashiya, 17, keep watch in the morning after they were allowed back to their property.

THE DAY AFTER: Upper Hutt Rural Fire Force crew members survey the damage.

ROPES OF MAUI: Dawn sunlight shoots across Wellington in this photo taken from Hataitai early yesterday. Smoke in the atmosphere from the Titahi Bay fire gave the spectacular sunrise an extra lift, MetService forecaster Allister Gorman said. The phenomenon is called a crepuscular ray.

FORCED TO FLEE: Dianna Taylor and her daughter Deborah Chisnall were evacuated from Gloaming Hill.

THROUGH THE HAZE: Paul Willis and Corrine Erdbeer are moved on by police as Morning View Gr is evacuated.

MANPOWER: Four helicopters and about 60 firefighters battled the blaze yesterday.

FROM A DISTANCE: The fire as seen from Paremata.

ARSON?: Police suspect the fire was lit deliberately.

The blaze was reported to have covered over 20 hectares of grass and bush.

The blaze at Titahi Bay from across Porirua Harbour.

Up to four helicopters assisted rural fire crews in battling the blaze.

Helicopters fighting the blaze were reported to be filling their monsoon buckets in Porirua Harbour.

A view of the fire from State Highway 1 looking south toward Porirua.

A view of the blaze from across Porirua Harbour.

Fire crews in the smoke.

Up to four helicopters were reported to be fighting the blaze with monsoon buckets.

View of the fire.

The Titahi Bay fire.

A photo of the fire from a Titahi Bay house in Mapplebeck St.

The Titahi Bay fire as seen from across the water.

The Titahi Bay fire as seen from across the inlet in Papakowhai.

A fire in Titahi Bay looms over nearby homes.

The Titahi Bay fire.

The Titahi Bay fire as seen from the suburb of Aotea.

A helicopter battles a fire in Titahi Bay.

Onlookers watch a fire in Titahi Bay.

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Police suspect arson is the cause of a large fire in Titahi Bay, north of Wellington, and say two young men are tonight helping them with their inquiries into the blaze.

Fire crews battling a blaze which engulfed over 20 hectares in Titahi Bay, north of Wellington, are expected to be fighting the fire until the early hours of the morning, according to the Fire Service, however the blaze is believed to be coming more under control.

The fire had begun on Department of Conservation land at Shelley Bay, however fire crews moved to Gloaming Hill this evening to battle the blaze after it moved southeast.

Four helicopters and about 14 fire crews have been fighting the fire, which had spread over a kilometre and a half since it was reported about 4.20pm, Fire Service central communications shift manager Murray Dunbar  said.

Police evacuated between 40 and 60 homes in the area as a precaution, Mr Dunbar said. Up to 150 evacuated people had gone to a nearby community hall until they were able to return to their houses.

There were also reports the fire had destroyed the Titahi Bay golf club however this has not been confirmed.

Mr Dunbar said a rural fire team was working alongside the helicopters, while Fire Service personnel were protecting the evacuated homes.

Relief crews sent tonight to fight the blaze had been scaled back, the Fire Service said.

Local resident Nathan Wall said a road block on the top of Mapplebeck St near Gloaming Hill had now been removed, and police officer guarding it had gone.

However, he said there was still lots of smoke about, "so it's certainly still burning pretty fiercely in a few areas."

Helicopters had earlier been reportedly getting water directly from Porirua Harbour to dump on the blaze.

Eyewitness Rob Suisted said at 10pm tonight that the fire looked like it was being fanned by strong winds and was entering a slope below houses.

A resident near the fire, who did not want to be named, said earlier that the fire was "huge".

"I wouldn't be surprised if houses are scorched or have gone up," she said.

People on Twitter reported the blaze was serious.

Martin Bulmer told Stuff.co.nz that at 8pm that the fire headed up the valley across the golf course and was now "charging" down the slope towards Titahi Bay.

Rob Suisted said the Titahi Bay fire had "probably 100-foot flames licking the air. You would have to worry if [your] house is on Gloaming Hill," he wrote.

Mr Wall earlier wrote on Twitter that an evacuation was needed.

"Please... stay away from the fire."

He said smoke was easing and that the choppers were doing a fantastic job.

Fire Service communications staff received the first call about 4.20pm, with numerous others shortly after as the highly-visible fire spread.

- with GREER McDONALD, Stuff.co.nz, and NZPA

- © Fairfax NZ News