Fire fighters continue to work on containing a fire on Matakana Island, with extra resources being sent to the island today.

Crews will be staying on the fireground on the island overnight, with more fire fighters due to arrive on Christmas Day.

The fire has burnt over 30 hectares of forestry and slash.

Fire and Emergency New Zealand was alerted to the fire at 7.36pm on Saturday evening.

Fire and Emergency District Commander Jeff Maunder says the immediate aim is to prevent the fire from breaking out into pine forest, and to have it contained by 9pm tonight, when the helicopters will have to stop working.

"As of 1pm today, 26 firefighters and three helicopters with monsoon buckets were working to suppress the fire, while heavy machinery is being used to make firebreaks," says Jeff.

Aerial view of the fire on Saturday afternoon. Photo: Fire and Emergency NZ.

The large fire plume was seen from across Tauranga, with SunLive readers in Pahoia, Matua and Maungatapu on Saturday night.

On Sunday morning, Matua residents woke to find ash and the smell of smoke around their properties.

Ash on a car in Matua on Sunday morning. Photo: Cameron Avery.

Smoke is also drifting across the harbour towards Tauranga, which has prompted several people to call 111 this afternoon.

A resident in Greerton says "the smoke seems to be getting better here".

"Been struggling to breathe all day. Same with [our] friends in Ohauiti," says the Greerton resident.

"Smoke from Matakana was everywhere."

The fire on Matakana Island early on Sunday morning, seen from Mauao. Photo: Claire Rogers.

While the weather conditions have been mostly favourable for firefighting so far, the sea breeze was causing flare ups this afternoon, Commander Maunder says.

There have been spots of rain across Tauranga over the afternoon, with a mild northerly breeze.

"People on the island are providing food and helping keep the road clear for water and equipment," says iwi leader Charlie Tawhaio.

Charlie says the island's voluntary moutere fire crew were on all night, and are resting today.

"There's smoke everywhere.'

The fire on Matakana Island, seen from Matua around dusk on Saturday. Photo: Josh Kelly.

A post to a Matakana Island Facebook group says "FENZ kai caravan will be on the island to service the crews and they will get kai from town too. Keep the roads clear for trucks carting water and keep yourselves safe".

Islanders have been told there is no access beyond the mill village.

Fire and Emergency said no houses were at risk.

Civil Defence said there have been no evacuations so far.

The district's mayor James Denyer says the fire was very worrying, however, he is confident fire crews will be able to get the blaze under control.

"I was just devastated that such a thing could happen. Any fire on Matakana is serious and has the potential to have far-reaching consequences.

"It's obviously quite a big fire and I'm hoping that it can be put out relatively soon."

James says he concerned about further bushfires as the region gets drier over summer.

A photo taken from Beach Rd, Matua around 1.30am on Sunday morning shows the fire on Matakana Island still growing and burning strong. Photo: Cameron Avery.

Jeff says firefighters will stay on the fireground overnight and more crews will be brought in tomorrow [Christmas Day}.

"An incident management team has been activated to direct operations," says Jeff.

"An investigation into the cause of the fire has also begun."

People are asked to stay away from Matakana Island, and to avoid flying drones in the area.

"Because our helicopters have to stop operating when drones are near the fireground," says Jeff.