Overview
- Fire and Emergency NZ estimates the fire area at up to 2,500 hectares, an increase from earlier 1,000-hectare assessments.
- Authorities airlifted 43 hikers and a warden from Mangatepopo Hut on Saturday and evacuated nine more from Waihohonu Hut on Sunday.
- The response includes six fire trucks, five tankers, six helicopters and two fixed‑wing aircraft operating under a temporary no‑fly zone.
- The Tongariro Alpine Crossing and associated areas are closed, and State Highway 47 remains shut between SH48 and SH46 with no detours.
- Officials report no structures damaged and advise nearby residents to monitor smoke and self‑evacuate if vulnerable, as the cause remains under investigation and DOC warns of likely biodiversity losses.