Emergency services are responding to the scene of a shelter belt fire on State Highway 33 in Paengaroa.

“Due to a shelter belt fire near Maungarangi Rd, State Highway 33 has stop/go [conditions] in place,” says a New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) spokesperson.

Fire and Emergency New Zealand northern shift manager Carren Larking said they received a couple of calls about a shelter belt being on fire on SH33 at 10.04am.

“On one side of SH33, the shelter belt had about 100m on fire,” said Larking.

“On the other side of the road, there was 30m of shelter belt on fire.”

Larking said three fire stations attended the fire, with a water tanker coming from Te Puke Volunteer Fire Brigade, and two fire trucks from Maketū and Pukehina.

“We are still in attendance,” said Larking.

“Police are dealing with traffic control.”

“Please follow directions of emergency services or avoid the area,” said an NZTA spokesperson.

At the scene?

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