Fire crews have spent the night dealing with a big flare-up on the west Auckland coast.

The fire broke out in bush between Cornwallis and Huia yesterday.

More than 70 firefighters using 18 appliances and three helicopters worked for five hours to contain it.

Around 9.5 hectares has been burned, and the flames came close to taking a house at one point.

Civil Defence officials have asked people to stay away.