A fire that ripped though native bush in Golden Bay this afternoon is understood to now be under control.
Fire and Emergency NZ attended the scrub fire in the holiday hotspot this afternoon.
An onlooker, Jo Kent, spoke with Top South Now and said it was "sad" to watch the fire destroy native bush but that the fire was now under control.
"We had just arrived in the bay and a fire engine flew past, followed shortly by three more. The flames had taken hold of native bush and were raging for nearly an hour.
"A small crowd gathered to see the fire crew attempt to control the flames from the hilltop. It was so sad watching all those established punga trees going up in flames."
