Defence force puts an eye in the sky for Chatham Islands bushfire

The New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) has sent an aircraft to the Chatham Islands to assess the scale of a bushfire that is threatening nature reserves.

Air Commodore Darryn Webb, the Air Component Commander, said a Royal New Zealand Air Force C-130 Hercules aircraft would conduct an aerial survey to help Fire and Emergency New Zealand (Fenz) determine the location, scale and spread of the blaze.

"The Defence Force will provide aerial photographs and other data collected to Fenz to help them decide how they could assist in controlling the bushfire," Webb said.

A Fenz spokesperson said the bushfire did not currently pose a risk to people or structures, but had burnt through more than 1500 hectares and was threatening conservation land.

Chatham Islands is an archipelago in the Pacific about 800km east of the South Island.

About 600 people live on two of the 10 islands that make up the Chathams and rely on conservation, tourism, farming and fishing.