A massive blaze in the South Island's Mackenzie District has caused extensive and significant damage.
Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ) is still trying to put out the flames around Lake Pūkaki near Twizel.
The inferno began at midday on Sunday and has burned through 3100 hectares.
Eighteen helicopters, 14 trucks, five heavy diggers, and 150 firefighters were called in to tackle the blaze in the past 24 hours.
Flames shot metres up into the air and spread fast and furiously across the Ben Ohau Range.
"We have got strong winds," Mid-South Canterbury principal rural fire officer Rob Hands told Newshub on Monday. "We have got what we call available fuels that will burn
"We're burning in tussock county; they're fine and available, they're dry, and then provide heat for the heavy fuels to ignite and spread."
The smoke was visible from Twizel - which is 7 kilometres away.
One home has been destroyed in the blaze and eight others were saved. One of those saved was the Alpine lavender farm - a popular tourist attraction.
FENZ said the Pūkaki Scientific Reserve has also been extensively damaged.
Fortunately, with Lake Pūkaki so close, it means when flare-ups happen firefighters can drop about a bucket of water on it every minute.
"There is no current or expected threat to the Twizel township or Mt Cook Village," FENZ said in a statement on Monday night.
"Crews will remain at the scene overnight and the situation will be assessed at first light on Tuesday.
"We expect to provide a further update around 9am Tuesday."
