Fire and Emergency treating large Wānaka blaze as suspicious

Author: RNZ,
Publish Date: Wed, 26 Aug 2026, 3:33pm

Firefighters were able to contain the fire near Albert Town, Wānaka, without property damage. Photo / RNZ, Katie Todd

By RNZ

Fire and Emergency is treating a fire that caused 22 homes near Albert Town in Wānaka to be evacuated as suspicious.

The fire took hold in a reserve with an extended belt of trees and native vegetation about 7.30pm on Saturday, threatening several properties.

Eight fire crews battled for two and a half hours in windy conditions to bring it under control, before rain began to fall at 10pm.

Fire and Emergency said no houses had caught fire on Saturday, although emergency services initially thought seven to eight properties were under threat.

Specialist fire investigators have been on the fire ground this week.

Otago community risk manager James Knapp said the origin and cause of the fire were being treated as suspicious.

Fire and Emergency wanted to speak to anyone who was in the area shortly before or after the fire was reported, or anyone who had photos or video footage, he said.

Anyone with information can email the fire investigation team at OtagoDistrictCRM@fireandemergency.nz.

Photographs and videos from the early stages of the fire, especially anything taken around the lagoon end of the reserve south of Lagoon Ave between 7.15pm and 7.45pm would be useful, a Fire and Emergency spokesperson earlier said.

Any information received would be treated in confidence.

A local who witnessed the fire, Estelle, earlier told RNZ that the fire moved with astounding speed and there was no doubt the community was lucky to have escaped damage.

Another local, Marty Lohrey, earlier said “we’ve dodged a bullet because there’s no property damage” and praised the quick response of police and the fire brigade.

This story was first published on rnz.co.nz