A fire in a car parked in a Welcome Bay field is believed to have caused the fire that spread through scrub land earlier today.
Greerton Fire Brigade was called to a car fire near Ranginui Road just before 1.45pm, which quickly spread to nearby scrub.
The car that caught fire sparking a scrub fire. Photo: Andrew Campbell
Firefighters battle the scrub fire in Welcome Bay. Photo: Kanuka Simpson.
At its peak the scrub fire covered about 2000square metres and was earlier believed to have been heading towards homes.
Greerton firefighters were the first on the scene followed by further firefighters from Mount Maunganui, Tauranga and Greerton.
A reporter at the scene says the fire has burned off the top of scrub land near Welcome Bay Road.
Police put a road block in at the Ranginui Road and Welcome Bay Road while firefighters worked to contain the fire.
The fire is believed to have started by a hot exhaust.
Keep checking SunLive for more details.
Firefighters at the scene of a large scrub fire in Welcome Bay. Photo: Kanuka Simpson.
A scorched car and scrub from the earlier fire. Photo: Daniel Hines.
At the scene? Email your photos to newsroom@thesun.co.nz or phone 0800 SUNLIVE.
2 comments
Not unusual
Posted on 27-02-2013 17:50 | By penguin
Many instances of this over the years during harvest time in Canterbury - even just from friction of machinery running over/contacting stubble espeically with low humidity. Happened once to a fire truck which had arrived to fight a stubble fire - ooops! Not nice to lose your car, though.
knowledge
Posted on 28-02-2013 11:26 | By Capt_Kaveman
goes to show skills that are not taught anymore, dead grass v hot exhaust = ??????
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