Walter Peak Fire Update #6
7 October 2026
Firefighters will work until dusk this evening as they continue to tackle the vegetation fire burning in the high country above Lake Whakatipu.
The fire is estimated to have burnt 1,400 hectares of mainly tussock and scrub, with areas of trees. It is not yet controlled or contained, with the situation still dynamic.
The fire has spread from Walter Peak station along the McKinley's Creek area and has also affected parts of adjoining conservation estate and Cecil Peak station. No homes or buildings have been damaged, and there are no structures or livestock assessed as being at immediate risk
Five helicopters with monsoon buckets have been dropping water on the fire, targeting the most active fire edges. Ground crews are continuing structure protection work around the homestead, creating defensible space and strengthening containment lines. An Incident Management Team is directing operations and planning further ahead.
Firefighting operations will be suspended overnight for safety, with helicopters standing down at last light. A ground crew will remain at Walter Peak to monitor the fire and maintain readiness, enabling crews to resume operations at first light tomorrow.
District Commander Blair Kiely says that the fire’s behaviour continues to be influenced by steep terrain, the vegetation and changing wind conditions. Firefighters are closely monitoring weather forecasts and fire activity and adjust tactics as conditions change.
He says a specialist fire investigation will be conducted in accordance with Fire and Emergency procedures, but the immediate focus remains containing the fire.
Tomorrow there will be five aircraft supporting 23 firefighters, with incident management and support personnel all active.
Crews from the Department of Conservation and the Glenorchy, Hedgehope and Arrowtown Volunteer Fire Brigades will be working on the fireground.
Fire and Emergency is working closely with the landowners, the Department of Conservation and iwi to understand the areas and values most at risk.
“We have the resources in place to respond to changing conditions and continue protecting communities and assets," Blair Kiely says.
He has asked the boating community to continue staying away from the Walter Peak fire area, with an exclusion zone in place for the safety of both the public and firefighters, including helicopter pilots.
The smoke from the fire is reducing but is likely to continue being visible across parts of the Whakatipu Basin and surrounding areas. People sensitive to smoke should take precautions to avoid being exposed to poor air quality