The latest Canterbury blaze began in Burnham on Thursday. Photo: RNZ / Nathan Mckinnon
The Canterbury region is so dry fires are taking hold and spreading rapidly, firefighters say.
The latest fire in the region began near Burnham on Thursday and was believed to have been caused by a vehicle's tyre blowing out.
Crews would be working to fully extinguish the blaze along SH1 near the Selwyn River on Friday.
Incident Commander Mike Johns said firefighters at the scene overnight had dealt with some flare-ups, including "candling" - when a tree or small group of trees catch fire.
"This morning heavy machinery will be working to help dig out deep seated hotspots so firefighters can cool them thoroughly. That work will continue all day."
Incident commander Brian Keown told Morning Report people going past on the highway can expect to see smoke but there are "plenty of crews to control that", he said.
Conditions were currently good, he said.
"We're expecting a hot day Saturday...and I'd just remind people who are doing any spark hazardous activities - mowing, grinding, any cutting activities - just have a really good think about where they are when they're doing those activities and potentially have water on site or do it in the cool of the night or in the early morning."
Other recent fires in Canterbury have burned through hundreds of hectares, including in Bridge Hill, West Melton and Kirwee.
In Hawke's Bay there's growing concern.
Most of the region has fire bans already and parts of southern Hawke's Bay will also be restricted from 8am Friday.
"It's as dry for this time of the year than it has been for several years," Fire and Emergency New Zealand assistant commander Jason Hill told Morning Report.
"We are as dry as Canterbury, the only difference...is at the moment we're not getting sustained west winds, so that's a little bit of saving grace."
Where fires are prohibited, it means no open air fires, including charcoal BBQs, braziers, open drum fires, and cooking of lamb's tails.
Hangi and umu may be able to be cooked but a permit was needed for an exemption, he said.
"It means if you did have a permit to burn, those permits are suspended."
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