Midday Report

Hundreds of firefighters are battling to contain the blaze which broke out Wednesday afternoon, seven years to the day of the devastating fires of 2017.

The fire grew from 100 to 630 hectares overnight and the smoke plume is now visible from space.

Christchurch and Selwyn have been in a state of emergency since late last night.

A hundred and ten homes have been evacuated, and evacuation centres are open in Halswell and Lincoln.

No houses have been destroyed, but the fire has breached the edge of Christchurch Adventure Park.

In a separate incident this morning, a grass fire which broke out in Rolleston, about 30 kilometres from the Port Hills fire, has now been contained.

Reporter Tim Brown spoke to Charlotte Cook.

There's been even further disruption for Auckland train commuters after an infrastructure problem closed two platforms at Britomart Station, affecting services on major lines.

It comes on top of days of cancellations due to overheated rails and warnings from Auckland Transport that disruption is likely to continue for the next month or so.

Mayor Wayne Brown has described the situation as an omnishambles and is hauling transport bosses into his office Wednesday afternoon.

Greater Auckland director Matt Lowrie spoke to Charlotte Cook.

Commemoration services are underway in Hawkes Bay marking the anniversary of Cyclone Gabrielle.

The cyclone caused extensive and devastating flooding in Hawkes Bay and Tairāwhiti, destroying hundreds of homes, inundating farmland, and wiping out bridges and roads.

Eleven people were killed, and the impact of the cyclone is still being felt in communities up and down the east coast.

Central Hawkes Bay District mayor Alex Walker spoke to Charlotte Cook.

Devastated but not defeated is how one grower is describing the situation.

Early in the hours of February 14th last year, metres of floodwater ran through Linden Estate in the hard-hit Esk Valley - silt covered six-hectares of grape vines and tore through the cellar door.

Monique Steele has the rural news.

South Africa have been bowled out for 242 in the second test against the Black Caps in Hamilton.

Barry Guy has the sports news.

Fletcher Building's chief executive and board chair are stepping down amid a disappointing first half result. 

Gyles Beckford has the business news.

KiwiRail has begun discussions to cancel a $555 million contract for an overseas firm to build it two new Cook Strait ferries.

Late last year the Government rejected a plea for extra funding on the project to buy two new ferries and upgrade two ports.

KiwiRail says it can't proceed without the Government funding and is now officially moving to terminate a contract with Hyundai Mipo Dockyard.

Meanwhile the Maritime Union says the Government must be up front and tell the public what its plans are for the Cook Strait ferry service.

The Union's National Secretary Craig Harrison spoke to Charlotte Cook.

Six people have died in the space of just 12 days after influenza swept through a rest home in the Coromandel town of Whitianga.

Te Whatu Ora Health New Zealand was notified of an outbreak at the Whitianga Care Centre and Village in late January.

It says the outbreak came to an end on February the 9th.

The centre is run by Oceania Healthcare, its group general manager for sales and services Anita Hawthorn says there are 48 residents and a total of 17 residents and eight staff were affected.

Hawthorn spoke to Charlotte Cook.

New research out of Otago University shows that vaping affects our sense of taste and smell.

The findings could also provide information on how vaping can impact on appetite and eating behaviours in younger people.

Dr Mei Peng spoke to Charlotte Cook.

A year on from a deadly landslide during Cyclone Gabrielle, two firefighters have been remembered by the west Auckland community of Muriwai.

The township, northwest of Auckland, was hit hard by the storm.

Craig Stevens and Dave van Zwanenberg died when a slip came down on a property they'd been called to.

Reporter Maia Ingoe spoke to Charlotte Cook.