Generic Stills News Today

Residents of the apartments are concerned for their safety.

Evacuations are underway in North Canterbury as firefighters battle a vegetation fire that has broken out in Waikari Valley.

All six helicopters fighting the Lee Valley fire have been grounded because a drone has been seen in the area.

Evacuation centres have been set up as multiple homes are threatened by a large fire south of Waipara, and police have shut down part of State Highway 1.

The fire broke out on the 17th floor of the building on Victoria Street.

Fire and Emergency says it has twice before attended suspicious fires the building destroyed in a blaze overnight.

No one was believed to have been in the building at the time.

Fire and Emergency said a second call for assistance was made when firefighters realised the scale of the fire.

Firefighters are tackling a chemical fire in the Western Bay of Plenty.

People who have lit outdoor fires in the past few days are being urged to check they are fully extinguished, with strong winds in the lower half of the South Island fanning at least two vegetation fires back to life.