Abigail Dougherty/Stuff
Locals are reporting queues through Wellsford on Easter Monday, with the tail reported to be back to Te Hana. (File photo) Congestion at Wellsford is also backed up all the way to Te Hana, according to Google Map’s live traffic updates. There is also heavy congestion at Warkworth and Windy Ridge (just north of Puhoi). The heavy traffic is adding nearly an hour to the usual 90-minute journey from Kaiwaka to central Auckland, as it is now taking two hours and 20 minutes, Google Maps said.
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All roadblocks and evacuations have been lifted, and fire crews are continuing clean-up efforts.
Officials tell residents to be cautious wen returning home.
According to officials, several homes are being evacuated amid a wildfire near Birdseye road in Helena Sunday afternoon.
Officials estimate the fire to be at about 2 acres as of 5 pm.
The areas evacuated include Sunset Road and Sun Hill Drive.
Evacuation orders have been lifted for Windy Ridge Drive, Eagle Ridge Road, Shangrilla Drive and Redwing Road.
Roadblocks have been set up at Redwing Road and Shangrilla Drive, Birdseye Road and Eagle Ridge Road, Birdseye Road and Sunset Road, and Equestrian Drive and Stallion Ridge Drive.
Several homes near Birdseye Road northwest of Helena were evacuated as a fast-moving wildfire burned in the area Sunday afternoon, but all residents were allowed to return home later the same evening.Â
Officials estimated the fire burned roughly 7-10 acres as of Sunday evening, Lewis and Clark County Undersheriff Brent Colbert said. No structures were burned and no injuries were reported, he said.Â
The areas that were evacuated included Sunset Road, Sun Hill Drive, Windy Ridge Drive, Eagle Ridge Road, Shangrilla Drive and Redwing Road east of Shangrilla Drive.Â
While Colbert was not able to estimate the number of homes included in the evacuations, he said there were âquite a few.â
UPDATE: APRIL 5 AT 10:36 AM
HELENA, Mont. - Lewis and Clark County Sheriff Leo Dutton confirmed the cause of Sunday s fire was an escaped controlled burn.
Dutton said the investigation is still underway with a possible resolution Tuesday.
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All roadblocks and evacuations have been lifted, and fire crews are continuing clean-up efforts.
Officials tell residents to be cautious wen returning home.
According to officials, several homes are being evacuated amid a wildfire near Birdseye road in Helena Sunday afternoon.
Officials estimate the fire to be at about 2 acres as of 5 pm.
The areas evacuated include Sunset Road and Sun Hill Drive.