Conditions on the fireground in the Tongariro National Park have improved significantly today.

Fire and Emergency District Commander Nigel Dravitzki says that steady rain and minimal wind have been a huge help to firefighters, who are working hard to take advantage of the situation.

Ground crews are concentrating on reinforcing the containment lines on the flanks of the fire. Aircraft are still on standby and will be used when needed to support the firefighters.

As a result of the improved situation, residents who were evacuated yesterday from Whakapapa Village and five other properties are able to return home, with a caution that they need to stay alert and be ready to move out again if the situation changes.

People who run businesses from their properties will not be able to have clients or customers on site for now, but that will be reassessed again tomorrow.

"I am very aware of the impact that the fire is having on those who draw on the Tongariro National Park for their livelihood," Nigel Dravitzki says. "We are putting safety first with this decision, and people can be assured that as soon as it is safe to do so, we will restore full access to the public."

Fire and Emergency also acknowledges the impact that the fire is having on iwi and the conservation estate, as well as the community and visitors.

We are working very closely with manawhenua, the Department of Conservation and both the Ruapehu District Council and Horizons to make sure that local voices are involved in all the big decisions we make about how the fire is managed.

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