Ōhope firefighters were met with a swarm of angry wasps after being called to a scrub fire on Sunday.

The Ōhope Fire Brigade was called at 8.30am about the vegetation fire at Port Ōhope.

Brigade chief Chris Staniland said the fire was the result of attempted DIY pest control.

“A gentleman had been trying to kill a wasp nest, and accidentally set the scrub on fire,” he said.

“He had good intentions, so we weren’t too hard on him, but it was a bit out of the ordinary for our usual callouts.”

The fire fighters were suddenly surrounded by hundreds of angry wasps but wearing full breathing apparatus attire, they managed to avoid any stings.

After an hour, they managed to put out the fire.

“It definitely annoyed the wasps, and the fire didn’t kill them all – but it got a lot of them,” Mr Staniland said.

He recommends others facing similar challenges organise an approved pest controller to help them eradicate pests from their properties.

“It’s a good reminder of why it’s a restricted fire season at the moment. Permits are required for any fires,” he said.