State Highway 1 has reopened near Cape Rēinga where efforts are continuing to put out a major wildfire. Fire and Emergency NZ incident controller Rory Renwick said the fire had not expanded on Thursday and remained about 390ha. Forty firefighters would be deployed on the ground today while five to six helicopters, a reduction from Thursday’s seven, would continue to target hot spots from the air. Firefighters had been transported to the fire ground by helicopter because the area was steep and difficult to access. The wind was expected to swing around to a northerly today which meant the risk of spread would be low. While SH1 had reopened on Thursday afternoon, Renwick urged motorists to drive slowly while passing emergency vehicles that were operating on the road.

Kaipara Lotto luck

A Lotto player from Kaipara is one of 11 nationally who each won more than $18,000 on Wednesday. A ticket sold on MyLotto in the Kaipara won its holder $18,271 with Lotto Second Division on Wednesday night. The winning Lotto numbers were 14, 23, 24, 35, 36 and 37, with the bonus number 29 and Powerball number 9.

Relay for Life

Hundreds of Northlanders will pound out the laps at Whangārei’s Trigg Sports Arena this weekend for the annual Relay for Life fundraiser for the Cancer Society. The relay, which has teams do laps of the athletics track, starts at 4pm on Saturday and will finish at 9am on Sunday, with the participants expected to cover many kilometres between them. Relay for Life is one of the Cancer Society’s main fundraisers. For more information, or to register, go to relayforlife.org.nz/northland.

Stage destroyed

A fire that destroyed a stage at Waipapakauri Domain, about 12km north of Kaitaia, is thought to have been deliberately lit. The blaze broke out about 2pm Tuesday with the purpose-built events stage burning fiercely when firefighters arrived. Kaitaia fire chief Craig Rogers said the roughly 6m-long stage was destroyed but the clubrooms were undamaged. Police and a fire safety officer were investigating. The Waipapakauri Sports Complex is union, rugby league – it’s home of the Waipapakauri Bombers – and other sports.

Apprentice Challenge

Building apprentices from across Whangārei will battle it out on Saturday at the New Zealand Certified Builders (NZCB) Apprentice Challenge. Competing for the title of Whangārei’s NZCB Apprentice Challenge winner and a spot in the national final, the apprentices will be tasked with completing a challenging project over eight hours that will put their skills to the test. The day-long challenge requires proficiency in a raft of carpentry skills, with a focus on attention to detail and time management. The event will take place at Marsden Cove, 1/30 Ruairi Drive, Marsden Cove, from 8am.