Plea from authorities to be safe with fireworks as another busy weekend expected

There are renewed calls for the public to be safe with fireworks, after a chaotic Guy Fawkes Night on Tuesday.

In Auckland, multiple fires broke out with fireworks believed to be the blame. Nationwide, Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ) received 88 fireworks-related callouts in 24 hours.

FENZ principal advisor Peter Gallagher said it was disappointing. He said there had been a focus on education about safety in the lead up to Guy Fawkes.

"We had hoped with more information out there we would continue to see a decrease in incidents compared to previous years," he said in a statement.

"So, it is frustrating some people are still not taking the weather conditions into account or using fireworks safely."

He confirmed there was an increase of more than 30 FENZ callouts compared to Guy Fawkes last year.

Now FENZ warns the fireworks season isn't finished yet.

A fire in Mt Wellington on Tuesday night, believed to be fireworks related. Photo credit: Supplied

"We expect the weekend to be a busy one, and once again want to stress the importance of safe use," Gallagher said.

"Anyone thinking of using fireworks over the weekend should consider the weather conditions, ensure there's someone responsible to light the fireworks and use them safely."

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said she plans to raise firework concerns with local councils, after an "intense" Guy Fawkes night she described as sounding like a "warzone".

"Last night [Tuesday] in Auckland... it was just something else," the Ardern told More FM's The Breakfast Club on Wednesday morning. "It was quite intense... At 9:30 I recorded a little snippet of it because it sounded like a warzone in Balmoral."

Newshub.

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