WELLINGTON, Nov 10, (Xinhua): The forest fire in New Zealand's Tongariro National Park continued to blaze on Monday, with the fire size likely to have increased from the estimated 2,500 hectares, said Fire and Emergency New Zealand. Conditions are misty in the Tongariro National Park on Monday morning, which has helped limit the growth of the fire overnight.

However, all aircraft are grounded because of the mist. Eight teams of Fire and Emergency firefighters from Wellington and Hawkes Bay will be boosting the ground attack, alongside seven teams from the Department of Conservation, and additional volunteer firefighters from nearby brigades. There are 15 helicopters and five fixed wing planes on standby to resume operations when the weather clears, said the Fire and Emergency New Zealand.

Established in 1887, Tongariro National Park is New Zealand's first national park. It has an area of around 80,000 hectares. The park is a dual UNESCO World Heritage for both its cultural significance to Maori, as well as its outstanding natural features. The forest fire was reported to the Fire and Emergency New Zealand on Saturday afternoon.

There was no report of casualty or structure damage yet. However, operations have been carried out to evacuate hikers in the national park and people in the nearby facilities. The Tongariro Crossing and associated areas, which is a world-famous tourist attraction, is closed due to the fire. A section of State Highway 47 leading to the national park is closed. The cause of the fire has not been established yet.