Department of Conservation staff and rural firefighters are dealing with a large scrub fire in the hills of the Waioeka Gorge.

Northern Fire Communications shift manager Scott Osmond says Opotiki Fire Brigade was called to the fire about 11pm.

Firefighters were kept busy in the Eastern Bay of Plenty overnight.

'We were not able to gain access and it's being dealt with by rural fire. It's quite a significant one.

'We are still getting calls in this morning from members of the public about it.”

The cause of the blaze is being investigated.

Earlier the night, Matata Fire Brigade was called to a vegetation fire on the beach.

The call in about 3.30pm and Scott says it was a fire up in the sand dunes on Matata Beach.

'It was extinguished with shovels and sand.”

Whakatane Fire Brigade was also called out to a fire in the backyard of a property on Romana Place about 10.55pm.

'It was a small rubbish fire that was extinguished.”

Tauranga assistant area manager Graeme Easton says the fire danger in the Bay of Plenty is high.

He says things could change in the next few days.

'The fire danger levels change is in the Bay of Plenty, which encompasses Opotiki through to Waihi. Inland in Kawerau the fire danger is higher than it is in coastal areas. This is likely to come up quickly,” says Graeme.

'There are three levels: scrub lands are extreme, grass lands are high and other areas are sitting at moderate to medium.”

Do you have photos of the fire in the gorge? Please email them to [email protected]