Fire and Emergency NZ Hawke's Bay area commander Ken Cooper (left) pictured with senior firefighters Erin Gladstone and Natasha Brown, is hoping for a quiet Guy Fawkes. Photo / File
Fire and Emergency NZ Hawke's Bay area commander Ken Cooper (left) pictured with senior firefighters Erin Gladstone and Natasha Brown, is hoping for a quiet Guy Fawkes. Photo / File
Hawke's Bay fire authorities are hoping for smoother Guy Fawkes celebrations on Thursday after a "very disappointing" night last year.
Fireworks went on sale to the public on Monday, and Fire and Emergency New Zealand staff are poised for busy shifts.
National adviser fire risk management Todd O'Donoghue said, "We had a very disappointing Guy Fawkes last year.
"Between November 2 and November 9, 2019, our crews attended 237 fireworks-related callouts - the highest number for the corresponding period since 2015."
Area commander for Hawke's Bay Ken Cooper said in Hawke's Bay there is always a number of callouts over the period when fireworks are on sale, especially on Guy Fawkes night.
"Hawke's Bay at the moment we are in a fire restricted fire season, there is a lot of dry vegetation and it doesn't take much at the moment with the light conditions to set off a fire.
"It's not about telling people what to do it's about asking people to act responsibly."
Fires, accidents, fireworks in the wrong hands being dangerous and nuisance to animals are concerns, he said.
The 237 callouts in 2019 in included this large fire on Te Mata Peak believed to have been started by fireworks. Photo / NZME
Cooper said if people are going to have a private display, they should be responsible.
If conditions are windy and dry keep them for another night, follow the instructions, light fireworks in an open area away from others, light them on the ground and point them at the sky, keep pets inside and keep a bucket of water handy are the guidelines from FENZ.
Last year fireworks caused large fires in Palmerston North and Auckland, and there were incidents of people shooting fireworks from cars and at people or structures, O'Donoghue said.
Both Napier City Council and Hastings District Council have shared guides on Facebook about keeping animals safe on the night.
The Napier City Council animal control team provided tips such as exercising dogs early in the day, keeping pets indoors with curtains and windows closed, giving them a safe hiding spot and turning on the TV or music to give them familiar noises.
In Hawke's Bay, the annual Blast in the Park fireworks event will be held on Friday November 6 in Anderson Park, Havelock North.
The family community event with food trucks, music, bouncy castles and stalls is run by Havelock North Primary School as one of its main fundraising events.
Tickets are available online.
The councils aren't hosting any public fireworks events and RNZ earlier reported that Palmerston North is the only city having a free public fireworks display this Guy Fawkes night.
A Napier City Council spokesperson said the only fireworks display the council is involved in is at New Year's.
