Firefighters braced for busy Guy Fawkes period

Nelson firefighters are bracing themselves for a busy few days, with annual Guy Fawkes celebrations beginning tomorrow.

The Warehouse branch manager Geoff Bostock said this morning sales of fireworks were "strongly ahead" of last year and he expected more people to buy fireworks today and tomorrow.

Two years ago, new regulations restricted the sale of fireworks in New Zealand from November 2 to November 5, and sales were banned to those under 18.

Nationally, sales of fireworks are reported to be down on past years, but retailers are expecting sales to pick up today and tomorrow.

Nelson MP Nick Smith, who is Environment and ACC Minister, said imports of fireworks into New Zealand had plummeted, from 1763 tonnes in 2006 to about 500 tonnes this year.

ACC claims for injuries had also dropped in the last three years, from 473 in 2006 to 290 last year.

Guy Fawkes fans do not need to keep too anxious an eye on the skies tomorrow, with fine weather predicted for most of the Nelson region. It might be "a bit damp" in Murchison however, MetService forecasters said.

Nelson fire risk management officer Paul Wigzell said he had heard reports of stores in the Nelson region selling fireworks before Monday, and he hoped that those reports would be investigated and "the full force of the law" would come down on them. Guy Fawkes was traditionally a busy time for firefighters, he said, because people could misuse and abuse fireworks by not observing the rules for letting them off.

The fire service responded to 300 incidents caused by fireworks nationally last Guy Fawkes day, but this was significantly down on previous years, Mr Wigzell said.

Nelson SPCA animal welfare officer Craig Crowley said the organisation supported fireworks being banned, because every year it had to deal with animals traumatised by the sounds, smells and burst of lights produced by the fireworks. Every year, people lost their pets after they ran off in fright because of fireworks.

He said people should make a safe place for pets to go or keep them inside on the nights people let fireworks off.

The Top of the South Speedway will hold its annual fireworks display at its race meeting at its Landsdowne Rd track on Saturday night. The meeting starts at 7pm and the fireworks display is scheduled for about 9pm.

FIREWORKS ADVICE

Read instructions, and use a torch, not a naked flame, to read them in the dark.

Set off fireworks in an open space. Don't let children set off fireworks.

Have a bucket of water handy. Do not relight "duds" or fireworks that fail to ignite.

Keep unused fireworks in a closed box.

Fireworks burn at extremely high temperatures, and burns should be cooled under cold water for 20 minutes.

- © Fairfax NZ News