A witness to a fire in Greerton describes hearing popping noises as flames and smoke billowed into the air.

Trish Clouston was leaving the gym when she saw “thick, black smoke billowing” out of nearby trees.

She drove past the fire on Kiteroa St around 7.30am and saw a van “totally engulfed in flames” and rang Fire and Emergency New Zealand.

She heard popping noises, which she thought were the windows shattering.

“Flames were coming out of the left side, the right side, the top, the back - the whole lot.”

She said the roof was melting and there were no windows.

Clouston said flames reached the boat near the van.

Greerton Fire Brigade arrived at the blaze at 7.43am.

Northern fire communications shift manager Lauren Sika said a van and a boat were well alight but no people were involved.

The blaze has been referred to the police and a fire investigator.

Bijou Johnson is a multimedia journalist based in the Bay of Plenty. A passionate writer and reader, she grew up in Tauranga and developed a love for journalism while exploring various disciplines at university. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Classical Studies from Massey University.