Titahi Bay fire

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.