Firefighters will become lumberjacks today as they work to clear the boundaries of the large scrub fire burning near Arthur's Pass.

The 330-hectare blaze didn't grow yesterday, but gusty winds and increasing temperatures made it difficult to contain.

Department of Conservation rural fire spokesperson Andy Roberts says securing the containment lines is today's priority.

"Mostly it's knocking over trees that are partially burned but will be a place that the fire could really re-ignite from," he says.

Roberts hopes they can finally contain the blaze today.

"We just don't want it to spread," he says

"We want to get it out and it's just proving to be a little more of a challenge so we need to continue getting stuck in."