Firefighters supported by helicopters will resume operations this morning to try and contain the fire burning in forestry near Parakino in the Whanganui District.

The fire was reported at 5.15pm and last night Fire and Emergency New Zealand estimated the fire had burnt about 100 hectares of cutover pine forest across several gullies.

By about 10pm the fire had reached standing trees and was burning in several locations within the perimeter of the fireground.

Ground operations were scaled back overnight as the terrain is too steep for active firefighting in the dark. One crew has been patrolling through the night and extinguishing spot fires on the access road.

At 3.30am the temperature on the fireground was 17 degrees with a very light wind.

Last night firefighters from Whanganui, Manawatu, Marton and Kohi brigades were working on the fire with nine fire trucks and tankers plus a command unit and operational support vehicles. Four helicopters with monsoon buckets worked until dusk.

No properties in the vicinity have been evacuated.

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