Two youths have been spoken to by the police in the wake of last night's fire at Pegasus Beach, which continues to burn.
Canterbury Rural Area Commander Inspector Peter Cooper confirmed the fire caught after a firework was let off.
One of the youths has been referred to Youth Aid, he said.
"We are pleased to have been able to quickly identify those allegedly involved and we hope this brings some reassurance to the community."
Fire and Emergency New Zealand said the fire was started from fireworks being set off in high winds at a car park area on Woodend Beach Rd.
Police have also thanked those evacuated last night for their "compliance and patience".
The fire was reported late last night. It's now 184 hectares and spans about 5.5km's along the coast north of the Waimakariri River.
The fire broke out north of Christchurch overnight. (Source: 1News)
Around 130 people were evacuated as the fire, north of Christchurch, quickly moved south.
Fire and Emergency New Zealand said this afternoon the residents evacuated from the Woodend Beach Holiday Park will be allowed to return home this evening as of 5pm.
Incident controller Dave Berry said the situation is safe enough for them to return home, but they should be prepared for future evacuations if the conditions change.
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