Crews battle eight vegetation fires across Canterbury

Photo: NZ Herald

Firefighters are battling eight vegetation fires in Canterbury as strong winds fan the flames.

Two helicopters are helping control one of the blazes which has spread about 30 hectares in Southbridge.

In Springfield, nine fire trucks, two helicopters and heavy machinery are working to contain a blaze that is about 10 hectares in size.

MetService earlier forecast strong northwesterlies gales gusting at 130kmh in parts of the Canterbury High Country while a strong wind watch is in place for the Canterbury Plains.

Fire and Emergency said hot windy weather was the "perfect condition" for old fire to reignite and escape.

A Canterbury dairy farmer said he can see a "stadium sized" amount of smoke where firefighters were the fire on a rural road in Southbridge.

Two helicopters and 12 fire appliances are working to control the blaze on Headworks Road.

A dairy farmer at Rakaia said he could see a large smoke cloud heading northwest.

"I did see a helicopter shoot across and I thought it was awfully windy for a helicopter so that's where it would've been heading," he said.

"The weather is clear but windy but there are some black clouds on the horizon so with a bit of luck some rain will turn up."

Power cut hits South Canterbury

More than 600 properties remain without power in South Canterbury, but it is expected to be restored later tonight.

Strong winds and stormy conditions have downed trees and damaged power lines and poles.

Alpine Energy Head of Customer and Strategy, Andrew Kerr, said the impacted customers were across the Geraldine, Woodbury, Cave, Esk Valley area.

Crews were aiming to restore power to all properties by 8.30pm but some might get restored before then, he said.

"We are restoring service by a combination of network reconfigurations along with safely fixing the affected network equipment and re-connecting it," Kerr said.

"Should repairs take longer than planned, there is potential for power to be out to affected customers overnight.

"To support restoration of further potential outages tonight and tomorrow we have deferred planned work and crews are on standby."

Driver airlifted to hospital as truck rolls

Meanwhile firefighters have undertaken a dramatic rescue after a truck driver became trapped in his vehicle when it rolled in high winds in Canterbury.

Three Fenz crews were sent to the trapped driver on Arundel Rakaia Gorge Road near Staveley shortly after 1pm on Wednesday.

Fenz said firefighters had to use the jaws of life to free the trapped driver.

Hato Hone St John said an ambulance, helicopter and rapid response vehicle were sent to the crash.

A spokesperson said two patients were assessed. One was flown to Christchurch Hospital in a moderate condition, while the other was treated at the scene.

The severe weather front has been steadily moving north since Wednesday morning, causing power outages and leaving flooded streets and road closures in its wake.