Firefighters spent several hours on Saturday afternoon putting out a fire in driftwood and grass at Browns Beach at Muriwai. Fire and Emergency NZ was alerted at 2.15pm.

Crews from the Gisborne brigade, Eastland Fire and Manutuke volunteers were mobilised. A helicopter with a monsoon bucket was also called in. “It’s not clear how the fire got started,” a senior firefighter said.

“It started near the railway line.” The fire covered a large area and the crews were there until early evening putting it out. * Fenz sent an appliance to the mouth of the Waipaoa River early Sunday morning in response to a car fire.

It happened around 2.15am. “The dumped vehicle was fully involved when the crew arrived and the car was burnt out,” a senior firefighter said.

“Yet another one. There’s been so many of this type of fire recently.” The car was reportedly stolen.

Police were notified. “One pump and one tanker responded to a beach driftwood fire at the end of Centennial Marine Drive, near the Waipaoa River mouth, about 5.25pm on Sunday.

The fire measured about 20 metres by five metres. * Fire crews from Eastland, Patutahi and Gisborne stations responded to a fire near the Champagne Pools at the Rere rockslide about 1.30pm on Sunday.

The fire covered an area of about 20mx40m and firefighters were on the scene until about 4.20pm. Luxury cruise ship Scenic Eclipse 11 made its maiden visit to Eastland Port on Sunday and went to dock for the day to complete the second cruise.