Fire services were called to a home on Matapihi Road when a grass fire described as 'out of control' broke out just after midday today.

The fire broke out at a Matapihi Road property at about 1pm today with one appliance from Mount Maunganui attending.

A grass fire broke out at a property on Matapihi Road this afternoon. Photos by Daniel Hines.

A Northern fire communications shift commander says the fire was ‘out of control' when fire services arrived at the scene and says the blaze is now under control.

The house is located on a maize farm and may have been started by the dryness of the maize caused by the sun's heat, says neighbour Neville de Malmanche.

Firefighters are yet to discover how the fire started, although Neville says he was watching the fire closely.

'I was watching it but it was just going towards the fence line so I was just keeping an eye on it.”

Neville, who used to be a firefighter, says there was nothing to worry about.

The house is occupied and Neville says there has already been a similar fire not so long ago.Smoke was seen travelling towards Matapihi Road on the opposite side of Tauranga Harbour Bridge.