The fire near Cape Reinga burnt through 400 hectares and although it is now contained there are still hot spots.
Photo: Supplied

People in the Far North are urged to be vigilant over the Easter weekend, after a large fire near Cape Reinga last week.

The blaze ripped through 400 hectares and although it is now contained there are hot spots still burning.

The fire spread across the rolling hills of mānuka and scrub just south of Te Rerenga Wairua or Cape Reinga.

People had to be evacuated from the area around the iconic lighthouse, and from the Ngāti Kuri-operated campground at Tapotupotu Bay.

The road and lighthouse have reopened and the campground will be open to visitors in time for Easter. But walking tracks in the area, including the beginning of Te Araroa trail remain closed.

Far North mayor Moko Tepania said it was fortunate the fire did not reach as far as Te Rerenga Wairua.

“It is extremely pōuri to see this fire break out [at] one of the most culturally and spiritually significant places in Aotearoa New Zealand up there at Te Rerenga Wairua.”

Ngāti Kuri trust board executive director Sheridan Waitai said taonga species may have been lost.

“The assessments are still taking place, because obviously the grounds been quite hot. But we have particular taonga that are endemic to our rohe so obviously our snails, some of our mokomoko the lizards that couldn’t move fast enough into safety.”

The fire destroyed many native trees and the ancient pā Hiriki got a bit of a blast, she said.

Fire and Emergency Northland had up to seven helicopters and 40 ground crew working on the blaze.
Photo: Supplied/Fenz

Tepania said summer was not over just yet in the Far North, he urged visitors and residents to be careful with fires.

“We are definitely asking any manuhiri who are coming through to please make sure that you are extremely careful if you’re camping, you know please keep it to a burner, keep it under control, please no bonfires.”

Tepania said locals were still assessing the damage but he was thankful for the mahi of Fire and Emergency Northland, who had up to seven helicopters and 40 ground crew working on the blaze.

“For now it very much is still in that wait and see what happens, make sure we keep it under control, make sure we get the fire out, and then it will be going through and evaluating exactly what the full breadth of the devastation and damage is and then taking it from there.”

Once the fire is completely out Fire and Emergency will pass the decision-making reigns over to land owners such as Ngāti Kuri.

It was still not clear how the blaze started.

Waitai said she hoped the burn-off would be an opportunity for new growth, and perhaps even a chance to revive traditional burn practices.

“I think everyone is just really exhausted and hopeful really that in the regrowth there’ll be opportunities for us to transplant and rejuvenate taonga within those spaces.”