An evacuation centre has been set up for people who've had to leave their homes overnight as a wildfire burns out of control in Christchurch's Port Hills.
People have been evacuated from Avoca Valley Rd and Port Hills Rd after a fire began spreading in the area overnight.
Civil Defence is now coordinating accommodation at St Marchin's School Hall for any evacuees who need assistance.
Around 5:30am Fire and Emergency said it was continuing to work on the scrub fire.
It said it is estimated that the fire has burnt through around 15 hectares, since it was first called at about 11:10pm last night.
Area commander Dave Stackhouse said in a statement that at the height of the fire 15 appliances and crews were deployed.
"The 50 firefighters on the ground are focusing on protecting structures along Port Hills Rd and were working hard to stop the fire from spreading further up the hill.
"There have been partial evacuations along Avoca Valley Rd and working alongside police, we have been liaising with affected residents in the area."
Stackhouse said they will get a good understanding of the fire after first light.
"We will bring in two helicopters to conduct an aerial survey the fire and assist with ground crews with firefighting and containment," he said.
One structure, a small cabin, has been lost.
The fire started in the area of Alderson Avenue, off the Port Hills Road close to the suburb of Hillsborough.
It was on the side of the hills facing the city, so Christchurch residents could see it and were phoning Fire and Emergency.
State Highway 76 has been shut off at Curries Rd and motorists are being directed away from the area.
Police said they were assisting and further evacuations were likely. They said anyone who felt unsafe should evacuate themselves.
Fire and Emergency put out four fires in the area early on Wednesday morning. The fires were considered suspicious at the time, due to witnesses seeing people leaving the scene.
Early this morning shift manager Brent Dunne said crews were working to cut the latest fire off and establish water supplies.
Dunne said motorists were advised to stay away from the area.
One of New Zealand's most devastating fires spread across the Port Hills in 2017, killing a helicopter pilot, burning through 1600 hectares of land, gutting 11 homes and damaging more.
Witnesses were in court in August as Insurer IAG, lines company Orion and Christchurch Adventure Park debated who should pay for the damage.
The 2017 fires began in two separate locations several kilometres apart but merged, and prompted a review of the fire services in New Zealand, culminating in the formation of a national fire service - Fire and Emergency.
Efforts were made in the wake of those fires to plant 10 million trees in the area to reforest it.
