A potentially destructive fire in a shelterbelt block in the western Bay of Plenty community of Whakamarama kept firefighters busy for almost two hours in the early hours of Sunday morning.

At one point the vegetation fire in Whakamarama Rd was just four metres away from spreading to a large shed and 10m away from a house.

The alarm was raised shortly before 2am, and fire crews from the Omokoroa and Greerton stations, including a water tanker, were needed to quell the 70sq m blaze.

It was fully extinguished by 3.45am.

Fire Service communications staff were unable to say what caused the fire.

(Stuff)