Andy Nicholson says he was told he would be arrested if he didn't stop fighting the fire on his rural Early Valley Road property.

Nicholson is part of a local fire brigade that was fighting the Port HIlls, Christchurch, fire on Monday night with a water tanker.

A video filmed by his 19-year-old son Robert shows him driving up to a neighbour's house to try battle the blaze before realising the situation was too dangerous.

"The most important thing is to get to a fire early [but] by the time we got to Ken's place this thing was astronomical. The fire had rocketed up to the edge [of the road]. It had engulfed everything.

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"We knew we couldn't stop the fire so we got out of there."

He went back to protect his own property, where there is now damage to his pasture and fences. Luckily his house and livestock made it through the fire unscathed.

But, he said, a policeman forced him to leave nevertheless, allegedly saying he would be arrested if he didn't comply with the evacuation order.



"This cop was an arrogant bully, and I wasn't the only one saying this," Nicholson said on Friday.



"He nearly got assaulted. If he wasn't wearing his uniform he would have had his teeth knocked out."



Nicholson said he and some of his neighbours have made a formal complaint about the officer.

Police released a written statement saying they were discussing the incident with Nicholson directly.

"Canterbury Police District Commander, Superintendent John Price, had spoken personally to Mr Nicholson about the Civil Defence operation, including aspects involving Police," the statement said.

"Superintendent Price looks forward to continuing to discuss the matter with Mr Nicholson in the near future."

Nicholson said the police officers did not know where the fire hydrants, water tankers, or 2000 litres of diesel stored on his property were.

"To me, evacuating farmers is just brain dead ... by doing that they cut all our local knowledge, all of that value."

Residents on Early Valley Rd were used to being their own first responder to nearby bush fires and the system for rural evacuations needed to change, he said.

"We've got the gear, and we got to that fire 15 minutes before anyone else did.

"The second there's a fire there should be an order. It should say 'you're seconded to the fire brigade now. Put down your tractors and give us a hand.'"