Residents flee as bush fire burns sheds

Emma Allen

Close call: Bob Archer lost three sheds, including his partner's valuable swimsuit patterns and equipment

Fire raged through bush in Port Underwood on Saturday.

Marlborough Sounds resident Bob Archer says he didn't even have time to grab a lead or a collar for his dogs as he rushed to rescue them from a large bush fire threatening to engulf his home.

Mr Archer was sitting in his neighbour's living room when they saw smoke coming past the window. He had gone to visit his neighbour to check if the power was out at their property too.

"It all started with a power cut, that was the first we realised.

"I went up to the neighbour's just to confirm it was a power cut and not just us," he said.

They went outside to investigate and saw the fire tearing through another neighbour's shed.

"I came back down and grabbed the dogs and hot-footed it down to the beach and rang 111."

Residents and holidaymakers above the fire evacuated to a different beach, Hakahaka Bay, about 2.5 kilometres away, he said.

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Residents flee as bush fire burns sheds