A spokesperson for Fire and Emergency NZ stated that crews were alerted to a vegetation fire on the Awarua Plains around 8.50pm after employees at Tiwai Smelter spotted the flames.
Three fire engines from Invercargill, Kingswell, and Tiwai, along with two tankers from Invercargill and Wallacetown, rushed to the scene.
Although the exact size of the scrub fire is unknown, it has been contained, and crews are now working on extinguishing any remaining hot spots.
According to the spokesperson, the fire seems to have been ignited by a fallen powerline.
Earlier this morning, firefighters from Kingswell, Invercargill, Tiwai, Wallacetown, and Hedgehope spent over two hours putting out a suspicious car fire that had spread to the surrounding vegetation.
The spokesperson mentioned that while both fires are in a “similar vicinity,” they do not appear to be directly connected.
