Weather helps fight against Mt Creighton blaze

Six helicopters and seven ground crews are working to contain the vegetation fire on the slopes of Mt Creighton above the Glenorchy Road near Queenstown.

Fire and Emergency Incident Controller Mark Mawhinney said that weather conditions were favourable overnight. A reconnaissance flight at first light showed the fire had burnt an estimated 200 hectares of manuka and tussock grassland.

Most of the impacted area is on Mt Crichton Station and Fire and Emergency is working closely with the farmer to ensure stock is safe. No structures have been affected but some fences have been burnt. The fire has also reached an area managed by the Department of Conservation.

Winds are forecasted to increase through the day with gusts up to 80km/hr so firefighting efforts are concentrating on containing the fire to the 25 Mile Creek catchment and creating a blacked out perimeter, to reduce the risk of a breakout later in the day, Mr Mawhinney said.