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Marlborough blaze - Source: ONE News -
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Fire crews are continuing to battle a pine forest blaze in Marlborough.
Emergency services were called to the fire in a pine plantation on State Highway 6 near Canvastown, about 51km northwest of Blenheim, about 10.30pm Tuesday night.
Fire crews arrived to find the blaze was bigger than first reported, covering an estimated 20 to 30 hectares.
Principal Rural Fire Officer Marlborough South, Ross Hamilton says the fire is now pretty docile and is not spreading rapidly.
Rural fire crews called out last night have now gone home and DOC personnel are fighting the fire.
Hamilton says the national Instant Management team of fire fighters may be brought in to help.
Four helicopters are using monsoon buckets with water from the nearby Pelorus Rriver to douse the flames.
About a dozen homes threatened by the fire were evacuated on Tuesday night but none had been reached by the fire.
Talks of arson
One forest owner believes arson is behind the blaze.
Tom and Noelene Bryant own about 84 hectares at the centre of the blaze, half of which has now been destroyed.
Tom Bryant says he is going to police about how they believe the
fire started.
