Rain has brought relief in the Chathams, where a wildfire has been close enough to some homes for people to make a run for it.

The Council Emergency Management office said the rain overnight has meant the evacuation call has been lifted.

But it's warning conditions could change at any time, and locals need to stay on their toes.

The fire is covering about 2000 hectares, it's been closely monitored overnight and a briefing held before Fire and Emergency is send in a reinforcement team of 14 personnel to help battle the blaze later today.

This included two teams of five specialist rural firefighters and four management specialists, who will board a charter aircraft with fuel, equipment and supplies for a two-week deployment.

Two helicopters with monsoon bucket capacity are also set to arrive on the island early this afternoon.

They will join eight fire volunteers, four Department of Conservation staff, and three local contractors already working to contain the fire.

While the fire had been burning towards the southern coast, a forecast wind change overnight led to 19 households along Waitangi Wharf-Owhenga Road being evacuated to a welfare centre on Friday.

Yesterday a Royal New Zealand Air Force Hercules also flew to the islands to conduct an aerial survey of the fire.

The Chathams are about 800km east of New Zealand and are home to about 600 people.