Story By Michael Daly/Stuff
Fire crews continue to fight a scrub fire in the Porirua seaside area of Titahi Bay on Friday morning.
It began late on Thursday night and northerly winds pushed a veil of smoke from the blaze over Wellington’s northern suburbs. Smoke was also reported in the Hutt Valley and the Wellington coastal suburb of Miramar.
About 7.15am Friday, Fire and Emergency NZ said eight crews were still working to bring the vegetation fire under control. Helicopters with monsoon buckets would also be working on Friday morning.
The fire was burning over about 10ha in Whitireia Park, and people were asked to stay away from the area. No homes were at risk, Fenz said.
Smoke coming off the fire about 7.30am Friday FRANCES CHIN/STUFF
Additional rural firefighters were being brought in on Friday morning to support and relieve urban and rural crews who had been working overnight.
Fenz was alerted to the blaze at 11.04pm on Thursday, and the first crews arrived by about 11.10pm.
Crews and specialist appliances from across Wellington were called in to the incident.
Residents in Wellington’s northern suburbs woke to the sight of a red glow in the sky and the smell of smoke in the air.
Commuters travelling into Wellington city from the north were also driving through heavy smoke over the motorway in the central Porirua area.
Crews have been fighting a scrub fire overnight in the Porirua seaside suburb of Titahi Bay SUPPLIED
But Porirua City councillor Mike Duncan, who lives in Titahi Bay, said there wasn’t much smoke in his part of the suburb early Friday, although he could see smoke coming off part of Whitireia Park.
He had become aware of the fire about 12.30am when he was woken by the sound of trucks and other vehicles driving up his road. The power had also been out at that time.
About 7am he could see two helicopters with monsoon buckets in the area.
Fire crews from across Wellington were sent to Titahi Bay overnight to fight a scrub fire that was continuing to burn at down on Friday. SUPPLIED/SIMON BRADWELL
Fenz said smoke was affecting a large part of Porirua, and the National Public Health Service had advised that people in an area where there was smoke should go inside, close the windows and doors and turn off air conditioning units.
Anyone who had been exposed to the smoke and was feeling unwell should contact Healthline (0800 611 116) or ring their doctor for advice.
Smoke may irritate the eyes, nose, throat, and airways. Symptoms could include watery or sore eyes, dry or sore throat, sore nose, cough, tightness of the chest or difficulty breathing.
Smoke pouring from the fire overnight. SUPPLIED/WILL DOUGHERTY
In healthy people, most symptoms disappeared soon after exposure to smoke ended and did not cause long-term health problems.
People should avoid exposure to smoke if possible.
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