Drones with thermal imaging equipment will survey the Black Jack fireground on the Coromandel Peninsula tonight to identify where deepseated pockets of fire are burning.

Fire and Emergency NZ's specialist drone crew will be carrying out the flights and Incident Controller Shane Bromley says their findings will be used to target ground and air operations tomorrow.

Black Jack Rd will be open for residents access tonight once crews have stood down for the night.

Stop/go traffic management on the road will resume in the morning. The road runs through the fireground and the managed access helps ensure the safety of both firefighters and the public.

Shane Bromley says that the process of fully extinguishing the fire is likely to take a few more days. Conditions will be arduous for the firefighters, working on steep slopes in high temperatures. Tomorrow they will be supported by two helicopters with monsoon buckets, which will focus on the western flank that is inaccessible on the ground.

Firefighters from the Department of Conservation will return to the fireground tomorrow along with members of the Kuaotuna Volunteer Fire Brigade.

A fire investigator is working to establish the origin and cause of the fire.

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