The cordon established following a large fire near Pines Beach today (5 January 2015) was reduced at 6pm to encompass the plantation and surrounding bush area with all remaining residents returning to their homes.
Canterbury Police and investigators from the Fire Service are working within the reduced cordon for the next 1-2 hours damping down any remaining hotspots, making the area safe and undertaking a full scene examination in order to determine the cause of the fire.
Police ask the public to avoid the cordoned area around the plantation while the scene investigations are carried out.
Canterbury Police and the Fire Service would like to thank the public and Pines Beach residents for their patience and cooperation while the cordons were in place today.
Summer weather conditions in Canterbury District have caused the land to be very dry and Police and the Fire Service ask the public to report any suspicious activity or signs of smoke in remote areas and to take care when in bush/scrub land.
Police and the Fire Service say the prompt reporting of this fire not only minimised the impact on the Pines Beach community but also resulted in no residential properties being damaged or lost.
ENDS
Issued by: Lisa-Marie Brooks, District Communications Manager, Canterbury Police District. Mobile: 021 942 404