A 6m-tall sculpture made up of pallet wood stands on the beach at Te Awanga ready to be lit. Photo / Warren Buckland
With light drizzle across Hawke's Bay on Thursday, the region's animal owners, councils and emergency services are bracing for a weekend fireworks boom.
MetService meteorologist April Clarke said light showers across Hawke's Bay likely dampened the spark of Guy Fawkes Night.
"The rain in Hawke's Bay started on Thursday at about 4pm – just in time before a lot of firework activities," she said.
Clarke said Saturday is the "pick of the days" for those venturing outside over the weekend.
Napier City Council said the City Cleaning and Parks and Reserves teams spent Friday morning cleaning up Marine Parade after unofficial fireworks displays, however a damp evening meant many will wait until the weekend to partake in festivities.
"The weather kept some people home, but there were still a lot of people letting fireworks off [Thursday] night."
The highest levels of rainfall were experienced in the Ranges (23.1mm), while Napier got 2.2mm of rain on Thursday and Hastings got 1.44mm.
Police said they received zero fireworks-related issues on Thursday night.
The Leg-Up Trust, which offers horse treks for at-risk rangatahi, said they too didn't experience any trouble, however their concerns are still high amid further fireworks displays.
The non-profit organisation currently houses 16 horses, four miniatures and five donkeys – all of which need some natural remedies in their trough to stay calm.
Trust founder Ros Rowe said despite a "noisy night in" with a full set of staff, the worst is likely yet to come.
"I think the constant drizzle put a lot of people off on Thursday, but there'll certainly be some activity on Friday and Saturday as a result, which is a concern."
Rowe, who explained the main risks are horses bolting into fences or suffering from colic, said some horses are put in paddocks that have post and rail fences, which minimises the danger.
"I don't think people properly understand just how stressful it is for the animals. Not only do we treasure our horses, but we also carry the weight of the love that our kids have for them too," she said.
"If it was just one night, we could bare it. But this uncertainty of whether it'll happen again is what keeps us on edge."
Rose added: "But at the end of the day, we're at the mercy of those letting off the fireworks, how close to the animals they are, how loud they are and how much they do or don't care."
It is one year since fireworks caused a large scrub fire on Te Mata Peak.
The 100m by 200m blaze swept across the Hawke's Bay landmark on November 7, 2019.
Meanwhile, a 6m-tall "guy" sculpture made up of pallet wood stands on the beach at Te Awanga ready to be lit in safe conditions.
The 2020 sculpture is a continuation of past celebrations at Te Awanga, involving sculptures being set alight. In 2019, a large fish was set alight, after a cow started the trend in 2018.
Weather permitting, the sculpture was being lit on Friday night.
Area commander for Hawke's Bay Ken Cooper said he has been happy with the behaviour of fireworks users around Hawke's Bay to date.
Cooper said Hawke's Bay crews have not been called to a single fireworks-related incident since they went on sale on November 2.
According to Fire and Emergency New Zealand, the lower North Island experienced just two fireworks-related incidents. There were only 15 across New Zealand.
Cooper said that number is likely to increase over the weekend, unless people follow the rules.
"After a few days of rain, we are expecting conditions to clear up. These conditions could see more people out over the weekend, using the fireworks they have purchased," he said.
"Don't use them in windy conditions, read the manufacturer's instructions, light them in wide-open areas and keep water handy."
A FENZ spokesman said fireworks can be dangerous and pose a high fire risk, and encouraged everyone to refer to local bylaws for the rules around fireworks use in their area.
"In many places, you're only allowed to light fireworks on private property. People who breach this law could be fined as much as $20,000."
Gemco has been tasked with completing the troubled project.