Fire and Emergency (Fenz) is banning the use of fireworks in a number of locations around Christchurch.
Area commander Dave Stackhouse announced fireworks would be banned in Akaroa, Bottle Lake and the Port Hills from 6pm today, in a briefing to media.
The ban comes after a significant fire above Hillsborough which burnt through 25 hectares and caused around 40 homes to be evacuated on Friday.
Fire and Emergency confirmed the blaze was caused by fireworks late on Friday night.
"Fireworks in this unpredictable environment is just too much of a risk for us to allow," Stackhouse says.
On Friday night around 40 homes were evacuated along Port Hills Road and Avoca Valley Road as a blaze threatened homes.
It was brought under control on Saturday.
Photo: RNZ / Nate McKinnon
A prohibition notice is now in place, Stackhouse says, with a fine of up to $300,000 and two years in prison as the maximum sentence under the law.
He says education is the priority, and he would rather the public not have backyard fireworks - and certainly not in the exclusion zones announced today.
Earlier last week four suspicious fires were lit in the Port Hills.
Area commander Dave Stackhouse addresses news media. Photo: RNZ / Nate McKinnon
Crews yesterday also successfully contained a scrub fire that was started by sparks from a construction site. It led to the evacuation of 16 homes in Clifton.
Two crews kept watch overnight but there were no flareups and the evacuees have returned home.
Stackhouse says the ban is a targeted risk reduction process that is being announced. Fenz is not trying to ban BBQs.
Fenz assistant area manager Mike Bowden today told Morning Report there were some drone teams out in the from 5am surveying the site.
They identified 12 hot spots.
There's more hot and dry weather on the way for the city.
Photo: RNZ / Nate McKinnon
