A lightning strike caused a hay barn to bust into flames near Rotorua this afternoon.

Emergency services were called to a rural property on Paradise Valley Rd in Ngongotaha about 5.30pm where a 30 x 10 metre barn full of hay was burning fiercely.

Fire Service northern communications centre shift manager Daniel Nicholson said two fire units and two tankers from Rotorua were dispatched to put out the blaze.

About 20 minutes later, firefighters were sent to a property on Edward Payton Drive in Rotorua where blocked guttering caused flooding in a residential property.

Soon after that they were sent to Rotorua Girls’ High School where heavy rain had caused flooding in the board room.