A thick cloud of smoke above Thornton on Wednesday evening came from rubbish burning on a rural property.

Edgecumbe Fire Brigade attended the fire on Powdrell Road at 5.11pm.

Brigade chief Adrian Massey said a collection of rubbish was being burned in a pit on the property, causing a thick cloud of smoke.

It would have required too much resource to put the fire out and it was not endangering anyone, so all parties agreed to let it burn itself out.

At a similar time, people took to social media seeking explanation for a loud “bang” that had rocked their homes at about 4.40pm. People reported feeling the explosion in Melville Road, White Pine Bush Road, McLean Road and Golf Links Road.

Some suggested a connection between the noise and the billowing cloud of smoke over Thornton. However, Mr Massey could not confirm whether the noise was caused by the rubbish fire.

For others thinking of burning their rubbish, Mr Massey said “be careful”.

“Be careful what you are burning – stick to dry materials like dry wood. Materials should be combustible, not plastics,” he said.

Burning household rubbish, plastics or treated timber creates a high risk of releasing harmful particles, impacting both air quality and the health of people in the vicinity.