Firefighters battling wildfire in New Zealand city

‘Hundreds of people have been evacuated from their homes as firefighters are battling a massive wildfire in New Zealand’s third-largest city of Christchurch.
The wildfire, which started earlier this week, in Christchurch’s Port Hills district, rapidly spread overnight to engulf an area covering more than 1,800 hectares, emergency workers said on Thursday.
Officials declared a state of emergency in the South Island city late Wednesday as two blazes, which had been smoldering for days, merged into a single giant fire-front.
Officials advised people in the area to leave and more than 1,000 people were evacuated from their homes. Nearly a dozen homes were also destroyed by the flames.’
Read more: Firefighters battling wildfire in New Zealand city