Complaints were made to the Otago Regional Council’s pollution hotline following a large vegetation fire in the Cardrona Valley on Saturday (September 24).

The blaze began as a controlled burn off and appeared to burn out of control, affecting approximately 150 hectares above the Cardrona Valley, near the Snow Farm.

“The ORC is aware that at some point the burn off became uncontrolled and Fire Emergency NZ were called in to help control the fire,” ORC compliance manager Tami Sargeant told the Wānaka App.

She said the ORC pollution hotline received seven complaints over the weekend relating to smoke from the burn off. 

“Concerns raised in the complaints related to smoke in the Cardrona, Wānaka and Wakatipu areas, the length of time the fire was burning, the visual effects of the smoke and health concerns.”

Smoke from the fire resulted in hazy skies above Wānaka and out the Matukituki Valley.

“There were also some general queries about ORC’s rules and policies on outdoor burning.”

Tami said the ORC is investigating the burn off to understand what happened, what the effects were, and whether enforcement action is appropriate.

Read more: Health risks from air quality in Lake Hāwea, Luggate

Last year more than 40 complaints were made in Hāwea in a single day because of smoke from a burnoff at land owned by Universal Developments in Lake Hāwea.

Three helicopters attended Saturday’s blaze after ground crews from Wānaka and Luggate were unable to access the terrain, and the area was handed back to the landowner by 6pm on Saturday.