Firefighters are hosing down a large tree after it caught fire.
A Rotorua Daily Post reporter at the scene said the tree, on Rimu St, was of a reasonable size.
"It's out now but it's pretty black. They are just hosing it down now."
One fire engine was at the scene.
A fire communications spokesman said firefighters were called to the scene at 10.33am.
"We're dealing with a tree on fire which we've extinguished. It's believed to have been caused by fireworks."
Sonny Dickson-Oakley said he was setting off fireworks and they went the wrong way causing the tree to catch fire.
"I put it on the ground and left it."
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He said the tree caught fire quickly.
"Just 'whoosh', that's how it happened.
"I heard a big rumbling noise, like a burning noise."
He tried to put the fire out with the hose before the firefighters arrived.
"Eventually it died down a bit."
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