Evacuations have begun as an out-of-control wildfire burning in Tongariro National Park continues to spread, now covering an estimated 1600ha.

Residents of Waimarino (National Park) are being asked to conserve water as a precaution. Currently the township’s water supply is not under threat - but this is being monitored closely by Ruapehu District Council.

Residents are also being encouraged to prepare a grab bag with essential items and to keep pets close and ready to go.

Five facilities in the vicinity of the fire have already been evacuated as a precaution. They are the Hillary Outdoors Education Centre, the Mangatepopo School Camp, the Old Mill, the Taurewa Lodge and the Avondale College Lodge.

Fire and Emergency New Zealand assistant commander for Manawatū-Whanganui Craig Gold said additional aircraft are being used to fight the fire, with five fixed wing and 12 helicopters being deployed. One of the helicopters is being used to direct the air attack, while the others are water-bombing the fire.

Four fire crews are carrying out firefighting on the ground with additional crews supporting the aircraft operations.

“We are prioritising the air operations for safety reasons and because of their effectiveness in this terrain and over a large fire front,” Gold said.

Civil Defence Minister Mark Mitchell and Conservation Minister Tama Potaka are travelling to the Central Plateau Emergency Management Centre today to support response efforts and receive briefings on the situation.

The Department of Conservation (DoC) is continuing to support Fire and Emergency crews and as a precaution, nine hikers were evacuated by foot and vehicle from the Waihohonu Hut on Sunday morning.

All tracks and huts within the Tongariro National Park are closed until further notice.

The large fire in the Central Plateau broke out yesterday, triggering evacuations of trampers and closing a highway last night.

What caused the fire is unknown.

“We’ve deployed a specialist investigator from Wellington who’s en route to come up and assist police, with investigating the cause of the fire,” Gold said.

Speaking to Radio New Zealand, Skotel Alpine Resort owner Sam Clarkson described the power of the fire last night.

“It was like a hellscape, you know, welcome to Mordor, it really was.

“The wall of flame was enormous ... I would estimate some of those flames are 30 metres high.”

Clarkson said it was a “wall of orange” that was “at least” four kilometres long.

”Everything that the fire service were valiantly trying to throw at [it] was achieving nothing,” he said.

Forty-three hikers and the Mangatepopo Hut warden were airlifted out on Saturday as a precaution with DoC staff providing welfare at Whakapapa Village.

“We made the call very early to evacuate those people. Erred on the side of safety and made a call to evacuate them immediately because really, with the wind change, results could have been catastrophic,” Gold said.

The fire at Tongariro National Park. Photo / Wendy Smit

Wendy Smit and her friends had just completed the crossing when they noticed smoke in the distance.

“We were wondering if it was in National Park or, you know, like a hotel or a house, because it seemed pretty big,” Smit said.

From the safety of Waimarino, Smit and her group watched the fire burn into the night.

“It kind of looked like the volcano was glowing because it was just a red glow in the distance.”

Fires continue to rage in Tongariro National Park. Photo / Wendy Smit

Fire and Emergency said fresh crews of firefighters from Taranaki and Manawatū-Whanganui joined the battle to bring the blaze under control this morning.

“It’s quite difficult terrain because it’s sort of undulating and it’s over a really large area and often we’ve got a long way to go in to, to get to the seat of the fire,” Gold said.

The fire can be seen from nearby roads. Photo / Raewyn Simpson

Help could be on its way in the form of a change in weather.

“I think the weather forecast for Monday and Tuesday are pretty favourable. We might be due a bit of rain. What’s of most interest for us at the moment is the wind.”

The fixed-wing aircraft deployed to fight the wildfire at Tongariro National Park. Photo / Wendy Smit

There are no reports yet of structural damage but there is still significant impact on the local environment, according to Clarkson.

“It’s just an ecological disaster. I watched, literally weeping as the fire went closer and closer and closer to the hill Pukeonake, which is a sensitive sub-alpine environment where the little communities of plant life all huddle together and live out their lives, and it just got toasted,” he told RNZ.

Authorities are warning the public to stay away.

“It’s an impressive site to watch, but we don’t want rubberneckers up there or anybody going up the road,” Gold said.

It’s expected to take a full day of operations to bring the fire under control.

Earlier advice from Fire and Emergency was for residents in the area to stay alert to the fire, and keep doors and windows shut to minimise exposure to the smoke.

Anyone who feels unsafe, or is vulnerable to smoke, is being encouraged to self-evacuate and stay with family or friends.

People north of the fire are advised to go towards Tūrangi and people south to go towards National Park.

State Highway 48 is closed. State Highway 47 is closed from the intersection with SH4 at Waimarino (National Park) with no detours available

A no-fly zone is in place covering the airspace over the fire ground and surrounding area, so that firefighting aircraft are not endangered by other aircraft or drones.