Fire and Emergency New Zealand crews will work through the night to control a fire affecting State Highway 7 through Lewis Pass.

Assistant Commander Dave Key said Fire and Emergency is working with the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) to safely reopen the highway.

“We are working together to reopen the road at some stage overnight. Please refer to the NZTA website for updates,” he said.

Key urged motorists to follow speed restrictions once the highway is open.

“If you are travelling through, please adhere to the signposted speed limits to keep our firefighters safe,” he said. “Smoke or flames may still be visible. If you are concerned, please call 111.”

Fresh firefighting crews will take over in the morning as efforts continue.

“Thank you to the crews who have been working hard to get this fire contained and under control,” Key said. “A big thank you also to the community for their support and patience throughout this incident.”