Firefighters call off planned strike

The Professional Firefighters' Union has decided to stop Boxing Day's one-hour strike that was meant to begin at noon.

It acknowledged that it was Boxing Day, and for those not rostered to work, it was an important opportunity to be with whanau.

The withdrawal meant volunteers who would feel obligated to respond during the strike could relax.

Collective bargaining between Fire and Emergency and the Professional Firefighters' Union broke down, and the Employment Relations Authority this month sent them into facilitation.

The union will instead strike for one hour on January 2 and 9.

Meanwhile, firefighters have put out a grass fire on the bank of the Waimakariri River near Swannanoa, north of Christchurch.

The fire was reported just after 11pm on Thursday and when firefighters arrived, they found a blaze of about 80m by 10m.

It took three hours and three tankers to extinguish the grass fire, which was fanned by high winds.