A spokesperson said they initially feared two people were trapped inside the burning premises, but quickly confirmed everyone was accounted for.

Dunlay, who lives on the same street as the blaze, initially thought the weather was taking a turn for the worse and was unaware homes were on fire.

“It looked like there was a low cloud and a mist descending on the street, and I thought, ‘Oh, it’s going to rain’.

“Then I smelled the smoke and went outside and there were these huge flames.”

Dunlay said a friend of his was standing there at the time and saw the large two-storey wooden buildings catch alight.

“The first one that caught fire, it just went so fast, he was saying, and then, it jumped to the house close by.

“The houses are very close, only a few metres apart.

“It jumped to the second house, and that ignited pretty quickly.”

Dunlay said one of the owners has a St Bernard dog, and he was very worried about its whereabouts immediately after the fire.

He said he believed the road was still closed.

Around 5.15pm, police were alerted and began evacuating nearby residents.

Fire and Emergency NZ received reports of the fire at 5.05pm.

A spokesperson said everyone who lived in the burning homes was accounted for.

Seven fire engines, a tanker and a command unit were sent to the scene.

Footage of the fierce blaze showed bright orange flames shooting out of a home nestled amongst trees.

The roar of the flames can be heard amidst the emergency efforts by firefighters to stem the blaze.

Police said members of the public were advised to avoid the area.

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