A large scrub fire in an Omokoroa reserve that threatened nearby houses on Wednesday evening is believed to have been deliberately lit.

Appliances responded to the call of a large fire reaching about 100metres in Cooney Reserve on Margaret Road around 5pm.

Flames reached about 4 metres high in scrub land in Omokoroa.

Firefighters battling the scrub fire in Omokoroa.

There were reports of the blaze travelling with the wind and threatening homes in Beach Grove.

The flames were around 2-3m high and the fire reached about 100 metres.

Omokoroa firefighter Simon Priest says the fire is believed to have been deliberately lit.

'It was next to the beach on scrubland. We got the call around 4.45pm and had two tankers and five fire appliances respond. We received multiple 111 calls.

'The fire spread around 60m away from the beach because of the wind.”

Simon says the fire was in an area with alot of dry scrub, which helped to spread the fire.

Auckland resident Roger Vincent is visiting Omokoroa and says he was walking through the reserve when two young boys around 13 to 14 years old came running up to him and asked him to call 111.

'I turned around and saw flames about 4m high.”

Firefighters battled the blaze for about 2 hours.

Fire safety is investigating.

Firefighters at the scene of the fire in Omokoroa.