WELLINGTON, Oct. 7 (Xinhua) — A bush fire near New Zealand’s tourist town of Queenstown has grown to about 1,200 hectares as strong winds fuel the flames on Wednesday.
The fire, burning since Tuesday morning near Walter Peak Station on the shores of Lake Wakatipu on the South Island, was not contained or controlled when firefighting operations were suspended overnight, Radio New Zealand (RNZ) reported.
Firefighting resumed at 7:00 a.m. Wednesday local time, with crews working on the ground and helicopters tackling the blaze from the air, RNZ reported.
The terrain in the McKinlays Creek area acts like a chimney, funneling wind and flames uphill and making it difficult for firefighters to access.
The priority was protecting the Walter Peak Station homestead and farm stock, and residents affected by smoke were advised to keep windows and doors closed, said the report. ■