Firefighters battle a bush fire at Redwood Valley in Nelson of South Island, New Zealand, Feb. 6, 2019. A bush fire started Tuesday in the South Island's Tasman region and caused 235 properties to evacuate the area. About 400 people have been evacuated from their homes as the fire grew to 1,874 hectares within 13 hours, according to local authorities. The fire, the worst to hit the region since the 1980s, will probably take several days or more to be stopped, Tasman district mayor Richard Kempthorne told the media. (Xinhua/Tim Cuff)
WELLINGTON, Feb. 7 (Xinhua) -- New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern flied to Nelson in the South Island's Tasman region on Thursday to assess the damage of a bush fire which started Tuesday and caused 235 properties to evacuate the area.
About 400 people have been evacuated from their homes as the fire grew to 1,874 hectares within 13 hours, according to local authorities.
The Tasman region declared civil defence emergency on Wednesday. No casualties have been reported and at least one house was destroyed. Authorities say the fire might be resulted from farming machine spark.
The fire, the worst to hit the region since the 1980s, will probably take several days or more to be stopped, Tasman district mayor Richard Kempthorne told the media.
Firefighters and police continued to contain the blaze. The New Zealand Defence Force has dispatched C-130 transport aircraft to the affected area.
Drought has been blamed for the fire.
