The Bridge Hill fire soon after it started last week. Photo: Supplied / FENZ
One of the three schools which had students evacuated from near a large fire last week says it has not been contacted as part of the investigation into the cause.
The fire at Bridge Hill, which started last Thursday, has burnt through nearly 1000 hectares of land, northwest of Springfield.
Fire and Emergency's Canterbury District manager Dave Stackhouse said on Monday investigators have identified where the fire started.
He said three school groups were evacuated from the area during the fire, and the investigation team would speak to anyone in the vicinity as a potential witness.
Students from Papanui High School and Christchurch Rudolf Steiner School were two of the schools evacuated from the area.
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Papanui High School principal Robert Gilbert said the the investigators had not been in touch with him.
He said there had been no suggestion that any Papanui students were involved in starting the fire.
Christchurch Rudolf Steiner School principal Paul Kennedy said it was up to FENZ to determine the cause of the fire, and it would be inappropriate to speculate.
"We are focusing on supporting our students and staff who were obviously affected by the evacuation process, and our thoughts are with the hardworking firefighters."
A Fire and Emergency spokesperson said fire investigators and police were conducting a joint investigation into the fire.
They said fire investigators have spoken to three school groups in the area at the time.
FENZ would not confirm how many schools were in the area at the time, nor if there were more schools in the area than the three identified as having been evacuated.
A police spokesperson said officers were speaking with a number of parties as their inquiries progressed.
