Eight helicopters, five heavy machinery and around 50 firefighters are back fighting the Waipoua River fire today.

Incident Controller Corey Matchitt says the aim today is to keep on top of the fire from the air while establishing containment lines on the ground.

"We did not lose any structures overnight, and we will continue to protect structures today," he says.

"As we work with heavy machinery to establish the containment lines, we will have iwi alongside us to identify sites of significance and ensure they are not disturbed."

Around 20 homes were evacuated on Wednesday night as the fire took hold. A community meeting was held with evacuees this morning.

Corey Matchitt says crews were working as quickly as possible to get people back into their homes, but this would only be done when it was safe to do so.

"The safety of residents and our people is at the forefront of everything we do.

"I would like to thank those who have been evacuated for their patience and understanding.

"It can be a very hard thing to do to leave your home when a fire is near, but doing so has meant everyone is safe. We will continue to do everything in our power to protect their homes.

"I would also like to thank the public for staying away from the area. We need to keep these roads clear so our ground crews can get to where they need to go."

While the cause of the fire is still under investigation, Corey Matchitt says the incident is a reminder of how quickly a fire can move in these dry conditions.

"I would like to remind everyone across Northland that we are in a restricted fire season, so you need a permit to light an open-air fire.

"It is important if you do have a permit to adhere to the conditions of the permit and to check it’s alright before you light at www.checkitsalright.nz.

"This fire is an example of how things can turn really quickly if a fire does get out of control."

There'll be another update later today.

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