People who evacuated because of a scrub fire in Hanmer Springs in North Canterbury have been allowed to return home.
A small number of homes and luxury hotel Braemar Lodge were evacuated because of the fire around 4km south-east of the resort town.
Hurunui District Council said winds had dropped inland, although they persisted at the coast.
Crews were working to clear fallen trees and branches that were still blocking some roads.
The scrub fire was about 4km south of Hanmer Springs. Photo: Supplied / Gavin Martin
Fire and Emergency (FENZ) assistant commander Ken Cooper previously said debris had obstructed fire trucks from reaching the scene.
Two helicopters were also sent to the site of the scrub fire, Cooper said.
State Highway 7 remains closed between Waipara and Springs Junction, as well as State Highway 7A, the turn-off to Hanmer Springs.
More than 1600 Hanmer properties have been without power since early this morning.
Hanmer has been one of the hardest hit areas by Thursday's weather, with severe gales forecast up to 200km/h. Photo: Supplied / Sam Rutherford
'Horrendous' winds pummel Hanmer
Hanmer has been one of the hardest hit areas by Thursday's weather, with severe gales forecast up to 200km/h.
Hurunui Mayor Marie Black said "horrendous" winds had caused widespread damage across the district, which included Hanmer.
A power outage was affecting more than 1600 people in the Hanmer Springs area, and residents were being asked to conserve water due to disruption at the council's pump sheds.
There were trees and powerlines down, Black said.
The council was asking people to act cautiously, and heed the advice of emergency management officials to stay home and look after their neighbours, she said.
Emergency Management Minister Mark Mitchell said the Canterbury High Country was experiencing the worst of the winds, although the effects of this weather event was being felt "everywhere".
Canterbury High Country is under a red wind warning until 5pm on Thursday, while Christchurch and Canterbury Plains are under the warning until 4pm on Thursday. This warning means there is a threat to life.
Wellington, including Wairarapa, Marlborough, Clutha and Southland are also under red wind warnings on Thursday.
'Close-knit community'
Four Square Hanmer Springs owner Annie Truman said the grocery store had been operating all day without issue, aside from not getting any deliveries as they were all cancelled, thanks to an "amazing generator" and skeleton staff.
"We've made a lot of pies today," she said.
"Considering there's no power here at the moment, people have been coming in looking for good old hot pies, and we've probably cooked a week's worth of pies this morning. A world famous PJ's pie in Hanmer has been going out the door very quickly."
Hanmer Springs was a "close-knit community", Truman said.
"So, it's good to be able to service those guys and the few people that have been stranded here."
It had been a "pretty windy morning", Truman said.
"Winds that I haven't seen in the past, but they have subsided a lot, which has meant that a lot of cleanup has already begun, with emergency services and stuff like that, already clearing a lot of the big old trees that had been downed," she said.
"So, that's good for Hanmer as a whole, to see that the cleanup has commenced so quickly, and the rain has definitely subdued the winds a lot. It feels quite sane out there for now."
There were a few homes which had suffered damage to their roofs, she said.
"But it's calmed down here a lot, and we're really lucky that we had a good emergency services crew and they've snapped into gear so quickly to get the town sorted," Truman said.
"Hopefully this weather event will be over and done with, and we'll just get back to a normal long weekend."
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