Fireworks and bonfires start multiple fires across NZ

1 January 2023

Firefighters have been responding to fires started by fireworks across the country since about 10.30pm on New Year’s Eve.

Fire and Emergency’s three communications centres fielded 111 calls about multiple incidents across both the North and South Islands – the total number has not been tallied but at any one time there were up to 15 incidents being dealt with simultaneously, related to either fireworks or bonfires and campfires.

The reports had tailed off by about 1.30am but at 2am there were still seven responses related to New Year’s Eve activities underway across the country.

In the South Island, many of the fires were reported to be in areas that were difficult to access and some are likely to require helicopters after daybreak. They include:

• At Marahau in the Tasman District, two homes have been evacuated and firefighters are working to protect the houses from a vegetation fire reported to be in difficult terrain. Nine crews were working on the fire at 2.30am
• a large blaze at Dalefield near Arrowtown, reported to have been started by fireworks and involving three separate fires burning in tussock on steep terrain. By 2.30am the fire had been contained to an estimated 1.2ha and firefighters were working to reinforce the perimeter
• At Aramoana near Dunedin, a fire is burning on a cliff face, reported to be about the size of a football field, and growing. Five crews were still at the scene at 2.30am and a team is working to get access from the top of the cliff so they can assess the situation.
• a fire at the old school site at the remote Skippers reserve near Queenstown was extinguished by people camping in the area and has been checked by Fire and Emergency personnel. Fire trucks were dispatched but crews could not reach the site because of weight restrictions on the only access road. Many campers were reported to be leaving the area due to the fire.

 In the North Island there have been multiple incidents, the most serious of which has been a scrub fire started by fireworks at Mahurangi East, where six crews have been working since 11pm to keep the blaze from reaching homes. Other incidents include:

• A large blaze at Puhoi where eight crews were still working at 1.30am. Most of the firefighters had to reach the firefront on foot because the fire trucks could not drive to the site
• Two crews extinguished a vegetation fire in Oriental Bay, Wellington, which was briefly escalated to second alarm level before being scaled back
• In Tauranga, three crews were called to deal with a fire in the roof of a house, reportedly ignited by fireworks
• Fire on the roof of the civic administration building in Palmerston North and another where seats in Edwards Pit park were ablaze, both reportedly caused by fireworks
• Fire close to a house in Kelston reportedly caused by fireworks
• Grass fire in New Plymouth reportedly caused by fireworks
• Fire in the sand dunes at Waitarere Beach, Horowhenua

 Communications Centre Shift Manager Murray Dunbar said the number and scale of incidents overnight reinforced that fireworks posed a high fire risk and had to be used responsibly and sensibly. “Fire and Emergency has been saying this for a long time. People using fireworks have to look at the conditions – things like wind and the proximity to material that can catch fire easily. If the conditions aren’t right, then don’t light.”