Wellington, Jumada I 19, 1438, February 16, 2017, SPA -- A drop in temperatures and light rain on Friday helped firefighters to contain a massive blaze on the outskirts of Christchurch in southern New Zealand, dpa reported. The fire that started on Monday and is believed to have been caused by an electrical problem has razed 2,000 hectares and destroyed at least 11 homes. One firefighter died when his helicopter crashed on Tuesday. But the city's council said in a statement that emergency forces only had to tackle a few minor flare-ups overnight. "We have had significant fire breaks created with heavy machinery and the firefighting effort has targeted the perimeter," Christchurch civil defence controller Dave Adamson said. "While there are still areas burning out of control, the fire is contained." Crew from the US coastguard heavy icebreaker USCGC Polar Star were assisting police and the New Zealand Defence Force in the evacuated areas. Residents who were evacuated from around 450 houses are expected to return home on Friday. "Police have advised that it is expected that a large number of homes will have suffered damage from smoke, heat and fire," Adamson said. -- SPA 23:26 LOCAL TIME 20:26 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/w334269