Fire crews attend huge
grass fire at Porangahau
in Central Hawke's Bay
Scrub fires and attacks on pets have been reported across the country as emergency services brace for the Guy Fawkes night of fireworks.
Retail purchases and deliveries of fireworks end at the close of business today, with tonight being the traditional night for those marking Gay Fawkes.
A Rangiora man has claimed his pet cat has been intentionally targetted by people with fireworks, leaving the animal with injuries.
He posted photos of the cat on Facebook with the comment someone had either set fireworks off in the cat's mouth or aimed an incendiary directly at him. "Just off to the vets with this poor wee mite... huge vet bill coming fro poor Sooty," he said.
Sooty the cat apparently sustained injuries to the head and mouth from fireworks. Photo / Facebook
Hawke's Bay iconic landmark Te Mata Peak was scorched by a fire on Saturday night, believed to have been started by fireworks.
Emergency services were sent to the popular tourist destination to quell the scrub fire.
A New Zealand Fire and Rescue spokesman said three appliances were dispatched to the scene at 9.30pm on Saturday and spent about two hours controlling the fire.
"Appliances from Havelock North and Hastings attended. It seems it was right at the peak and then burned down the eastern face of it."
The cause of the fire was not officially known but reports on local social media pages suggested people were spotted letting off fireworks shortly before the fire was reported.
A grass fire left Te Mata Peak with a black scorch mark. Photo / Paul Taylor
Te Mata Park Trust park manager Emma Buttle said the trust board "strongly objects" to such acts.
"This is a good opportunity to remind the public that fireworks and fires are prohibited in the park at all times because there is a very high risk of fire, especially with this strong wind we are experiencing.
"We also need to remind people that Te Mata Park is private land and we are very privileged to have access so we need to treat it with respect. It's a timely reminder that fireworks are not permitted in the park and there is a high risk of fire.
"The grass is quite long at the moment so we just need to be very careful and stay safe."
Tinder dry conditions in many parts of the country has further fuelled concerns.
On Saturday, fire services from all over Hawke's Bay battled a fire which crossed and all-but closed the main road between Waipukurau and coastal Porangahau.
One of more than a dozen emergencies answered by Fire and Emergency NZ over the weekend, the vegetation fire was reported between Old Hill Road and Blackhead Road, off Porangahau Rd, just after 4pm.
About 7.15pm a spokesperson for the national fire service said 15 appliances were at the scene with two more on the way.
Conditions were too windy for the use of helicopters.
Fire crews attend a grass fire at Porangahau in Central Hawke's Bay. Photo / Paul Taylor
Appliances came from as far as 60-70km in Hastings and an incident support vehicle from Napier were involved in fighting the fire which one person in the area said may have started in forestry slash as high winds continued in the area.
In Northland, fire crews were kept busy for two days and a helicopter was called to help fight a 30ha scrub fire in Kaingaroa .
Crews were called to the fire at Kaingaroa, near State Highway 10 on Friday at around 6.45pm.
The fire was on terrain that was difficult to access and it wasn't around midnight on Saturday that all crews could be stood down.
In the mid-North, firefighters from three urban brigades plus a rural fire crew spent more than four hours fighting one of the most serious vegetation fires so far this spring.
It is believed the blaze started about 4.40pm on Thursday when a fire lit by tree contractors jumped into a hedgerow on Orangewood Rd, with high winds quickly spreading it through the crowns of the trees and blowing embers into a second row of trees on the other side of the orchard.
Kerikeri fire chief Les Wasson said about 90m of hedgerow was involved with appliances and tankers responding from Kerikeri, Okaihau and Kawakawa as well as Kaikohe-based Rural Fire.
A digger was used to pull down trees to stop the flames spreading any further.
SPCA tips for pets and livestock during Guy Fawkes evening and night
Never let fireworks off close to animals.
Stay home with your pet – they will be less stressed with someone they trust close by.
Keep them indoors – they won't see the flashes and the bangs will be muffled. Close doors and windows and draw the curtains. Turn up the volume on your radio or TV to help drown out loud bangs with familiar sounds.
Make sure that your cat or dog has somewhere comforting to hide such as an igloo, box, crate or somewhere they feel safe to retreat to.
Try a compression wrap for dogs, such as a thunder shirt.
Exercise your dog early in the day to avoid being out during dusk when fireworks could be set off.
Both cats and dogs should be microchipped and have a collar and identification tag with your contact details on it. If your pet panics and runs away, it will help reuniting you with your pet.
Comfort your pet – this could mean cuddling them if it helps or giving them space, depending on what your pet needs. Try to behave in a calm and reassuring manner. Take special care of elderly or nervous pets.
Never punish your pets when they are scared. This will only make their fear and stress levels worse.
Move horses and farm animals away from fireworks. Make sure all fences are secure. Stable horses where possible. Do this well in advance so that the animals have a chance to get used to their new surroundings.
Don't forget small pets like rabbits, guinea pigs or chickens. Have them tucked away or even inside for the night.
