Fire closes Bay of Islands Airport

The Bay Chronicle

RAGING FIRE: Volunteer fire brigades from Kerikeri, Kawakawa, Paihia and Kaikohe plus rural and Department of Conservation fire parties joined forces to fight a scrub fire that threatened the airport at Kerikeri and disrupted power supply to the town.

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A Kerikeri scrub fire which is threatening the local airport is expected to burn through the night.

The fire, which started about 3.30pm, had burned through 20 hectares of scrub in a triangular area adjacent to Bay of Islands Airport, northern fire communications shift manager Scott Osmond said.

"It's been contained but not controlled, so there's no immediate risk of it spreading anywhere. However, it's still burning quite significantly and will be all night."

Mr Osmond said new firefighters were brought in about 10pm to relieve those who had been fighting the blaze this evening.

Ten crews and four helicopters were at the scene.

Airport manager Stan Hansen told NZPA the airport was closed to all incoming flights because smoke coming across the runway had made landing dangerous, and that the situation would be reassessed in the morning.

Mr Hansen said several planes had been evacuated from hangars near the fire as a precaution.

The fire had also caused power cuts in Kerikeri with residents in the area losing power three times before 6.30pm as it burned near overhead lines.

- NZPA