Firefighting is expected to continue on Matakana Island for several days.

Fire and Emergency Incident Controller Jeff Maunder said thermal imaging from last night’s drone flights had identified around 200 hotspots that would have to be dealt with.

All of the hotspots are inside the containment lines that were established on Sunday.

Ground crews and helicopters were back on the job this morning. Firefighters will be using handtools to dig out hotspots and expose any fire burning underground, then soaking the area with water to ensure it is completely cool.

The work is complicated by the large number of dangerous trees, damaged or weakened by the fire.

The fireground remains off-limits to the public.

Fire and Emergency is arranging additional crews and equipment to continue the operation for the next several days to ensure that the fire won’t reignite, before the fireground is handed back to the landowner.

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