Port Hills residents are watching the fires rage on and spread across their beloved property and land.
Two helicopters with monsoon buckets are assisting ground crews after a fire started spreading in Christchurch's Port Hills area overnight.
Emergency services were alerted to the fire at 11:10pm on Friday, which has now burnt through 25 to 30 hectares and destroyed a small cabin.
Kester Vos, a resident who owns a 8.5 hectare lifestyle block off Port Hills Rd, was "quite far" into building a house when the fires erupted.
"All I can do here is stand and watch it burn," Vos told Newshub.
"There's not a good feeling when you're watching all your hard work burn."
He calls the state of his property "blackened".
Vos heard fireworks near his residence last night, believing it to be young people setting them off.
"Every November, it's always like, who's going to light it?
"Don't do it. Fireworks this time of year is a silly idea anywhere, I think it should be banned altogether."
Fleur Easter had just finished a nursing shift and was driving home when she saw the flames.
"[I] looked up and I thought, my effing land is on fire, and rang my partner.
"I'm in shock."
Residents were evacuated from Port Hills Rd still can't return to their properties, but those who were evacuated from Avoca Valley Rd can. No more evacuations currently planned.
The flyover looked positive, said Area Commander Dave Stackhouse.
"Our crews did a fantastic job stopping the fire from spreading up the hills and potentially impacting homes.
"Our priority this morning is to keep it within the area we have currently contained it to.
"The weather is on our side, with only light winds forecast, this should help us in our work throughout today."
State Highway 76 has been shut off at Curries Rd and motorists are being directed away from the area.
