The fire on Browns Island in Auckland's Hauraki Gulf is now contained and fire officers will be standing down over Friday evening.
Principal Rural Fire Officer Bryan Cartelle says the crews have established a good perimeter throughout the day, and does not anticipate the fire to spread any further
"The crews have felled several trees on the island to minimise any further risks, and we expect the team to be returning to the mainland at high tide this evening," he says.
"They have done an excellent job to contain this fire in what can be difficult conditions."
Police are interviewing a woman believed to have lit the massive fire.
The blaze broke out at 7am on Thursday, and firefighters later found the woman on the uninhabited island.
"She's told us she was left stranded there on Monday afternoon for three nights, and that she was able to access food and shelter in a hut on the island," Detective Sergeant Tony McKenzie says.
She had lit, and then later extinguished, small fires to attract attention for help from passing boats but yesterday evening's fire got out of control due to winds.
The Auckland woman, aged in her 30s, was admitted to Auckland Hospital yesterday evening for treatment for dehydration.
Mr McKenzie says police have concerns for the woman's mental wellbeing.
"We're still trying to ascertain how she came to be on the island, and we have further enquiries to complete into that," he says.
"This will include conducting a scene examination, in conjunction with the rural fire service, to establish the circumstances."
Thirty firefighters were deployed to battle the fire, but their efforts were hampered by strong winds.
"We'd like to hear from anyone who may have seen the woman on the island since Monday or saw activity on or near the island on Monday afternoon," he says.
Browns Island is uninhabited and is a pest-free reserve run by the Department of Conservation.
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