KEY POINTS:
Restrictions will be made on the public sale of fireworks next Guy Fawkes after people failed to heed the Government's warning to be more responsible this year.
Environment Minister David Benson-Pope said the stupid behaviour of some people in the past week had shown tighter controls on the public sale and use of fireworks was needed next Guy Fawkes.
While he wants to speak with emergency services before deciding on what restrictions should be made, Mr Benson-Pope said there were two areas that needed tightening.
They were the age at which people could buy fireworks and the number of days fireworks were on sale.
"The level of youth stupidity and dangerous behaviour are probably a couple of areas that need attention, particularly the age of sale and also the sale period itself," said Mr Benson-Pope.
"I think most people would agree they are the two priority areas."
If restrictions are made on those areas the age people could buy fireworks would be raised while the number of days fireworks were on sale would be reduced.
Three weeks ago Mr Benson-Pope warned people he wanted to see an improvement on last year when emergency service workers attended hundreds of firework-related incidents.
Preliminary statistics from police and firefighters show that warning fell on deaf ears.
While the number of fires started by fireworks this year is yet to be calculated the Fire Service expects it to top last year's record of 700 over the 10-day sale period.
Fire Service chief executive Mike Hall said the statistics vindicated his call for a retail ban on fireworks.
"Despite warnings and a safety campaign, and even with parts of the country being much wetter than they were last year, firefighters were still called out more times than ever.
"As I said last month, and opinion polls since have backed this up, New Zealand is ready to see fireworks restricted to those professionals who know how to handle them."
But Mr Benson-Pope said he was not ready for a complete ban and he didn't think the public was either.
"I don't think the community genuinely wants that [a ban]. I think we have got a community that's pretty evenly divided, more or less 50:50 on most of the polls and figures I have seen."
Guy Fawkes - The damage
* Police in the northern region received 360 disorder calls, mainly about fireworks, on Sunday night - about 50 per cent higher than normal.
* The Fire Service attended 1729 fires in the 10 days between October 27 and November 5, when fireworks were officially on sale.
* Over Saturday and Sunday, November 4 and 5, 784 fires were recorded.
* The number of fires started by fireworks is not known yet, but it is expected to top last year's record of 700 over the sale period.
* Auckland City Council reported an unusually high number of dogs such as cocker spaniels and labradors picked up by animal control officers over the Guy Fawkes period. At other times of the year breeds such as pitbulls predominate.
