Fire and Emergency says crews responded to 587 weather-related incidents between 7.40am and 5pm today, with most calls about roofs lifting and trees down. Fences and sheds were blown away in places, and there were reports of power lines down.

Wellington and Canterbury saw a flurry of calls early, before conditions worsened in the south around lunchtime. In Southland, there were 228 callouts from 11.55am to 5pm, including 155 in Invercargill. With rain stopped and winds easing, crews there are moving into cleanup.

Assistant National Commander Ken Cooper urged people in storm-affected areas to treat all fallen power lines as live and to avoid candles if possible. “If the power is out use torches rather than candles,” he said. “If you must use candles, keep them away from curtains and other flammable objects. Never leave a candle burning in an empty room.” He also warned against using outdoor cooking or heating gear indoors.

Wildfires remain active in several regions:

• Hanmer Springs: A large wildfire has been contained and evacuated residents have been cleared to return. Hot spots are still smouldering and access for crews remains unsafe until tomorrow morning. “If you see a fire, call 111 immediately,” Cooper said.
• Kaikoura: Multiple fires are fully contained. Crews spent the day on hotspots and dangerous tree work with a specialist arborist. Residents in the Kaikoura Flats area are asked to stay vigilant.
• Hawke’s Bay (Pōrangahau): Three fires are still burning. The largest, at Saleyard Bridge, is 139 hectares and about 30% contained. Crews withdrew from some sectors earlier when winds picked up and are expected to remain on the fireground into next week. Fires at Bush Road and Schaeffer Road are contained, with five crews working deep-seated hotspots at Schaeffer and a small flare-up dealt with at Bush Road.

With high temperatures and strong winds forecast over the long weekend, Fire and Emergency is reminding the public there is a ban on all open-air fires and fireworks across most of the country until 9am Monday. “That means no fires at all,” Cooper said. Check local restrictions at checkitsalright.nz.