Fires along Main South Road south-west of Christchurch have now been extinguished after they broke out earlier this afternoon.
Multiple fire engines, which responded to the blaze, are now dampening down the area after it closed Main South Road and State Highway 1.
It comes after hot nor-west wind blew smoke around Main South Road, in the Templeton area, reducing visibility, the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) said.
Motorists have been advised to avoid the Templeton area and to take a different route.
Northbound traffic has been asked to use Trents Road, turn left onto Blakes Road, left onto Shands Road, left onto Marshs Road before turning into State Highway 1.
Southbound traffic has been advised to use Marshs Road, turn right onto Shands Road and then right onto Trents Road to reach SH1.
"These routes will be much busier than normal so please take care, slow down and anticipate a much slower than usual journey," NZTA journey manager Lee Wright said in a statement.
Waterloo Road, which runs along the state highway, has been closed between Barters and Kirk Road.
It is currently unknown when the road will be reopened.
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