Fireworks displays can be seen at events such as Guy Fawkes, Matariki and Diwali, but it's important to know the rules around them. Photo: SANKA VIDANAGAMA / AFP
Get ready for the big bang - Guy Fawkes night is coming up.
Why do we still celebrate it, and what are the rules around fireworks? Here's a recap.
When and where can I buy fireworks?
The sale of fireworks is restricted to just four days a year, this year from Sunday, 2 November to Wednesday, 5 November.
Some stores offer and click and collect service, but the person picking them up must be aged over 18 and present a valid ID.
Chains like the Warehouse no longer sell them but you'll find them in stores and roadside stalls such as Crackerjack, Cracker Shack, Online Fireworks, Pyro Company, Boom Brothers and Litworks.
Photo: 123rf
Where can I let off fireworks?
Most councils around New Zealand allow fireworks to be let off on any private property year-round, provided you have the owner's permission.
Acting general manager of parks and community facilities Julie Pickering said Aucklanders need to be mindful of others and the rules when celebrating Guy Fawkes.
"Letting off fireworks on Guy Fawkes Night is a fun event for those who choose to.
"However, we ask Aucklanders to be considerate of others who don't chose to participate and be mindful that some people, who could be your neighbours, and pets, can find the noise and lights of fireworks stressful."
There are some public displays planned around the motu - check with your local council to see what's in your area.
Isn't there a call to ban fireworks?
It's a debate we see coming up pretty much every year, but there is no firm plan to ban sales of fireworks right now.
A petition signed by 90,000 people calling for a ban was presented to Parliament in July.
A hearing which will combine three fireworks petitions will be heard by Parliament's Petitions Committee on 6 November, the day after Guy Fawkes Night, but that's still a long way from anything becoming law.
Petitions Committee deputy chair Maungakiekie MP Greg Fleming recently told RNZ that "there's no appetite whatsoever from the government's agenda for looking at this," but that it could possibly come forward as a member's bill. The committee could refer up any possible action or future study after hearings on the petitions.
Fleming said he personally has come around to the idea of a ban of some sort, and expressed willingness to potentially support a member's bill on the subject.
"We should review these with the idea in mind that maybe we end the ... retail sale of fireworks and instead have that you've got to be a licensed operator to be able to purchase them.
"And we could extend that license to people like schools or other public bodies ... and I think that would also mean that you could protect fireworks for things like Diwali."
Where are fireworks banned?
Every year, Fire and Emergency NZ prohibits the private use of fireworks in certain areas.
Last year was the worst year for fireworks-related fires since 2017, with 166 unwanted fires, FENZ said.
The up to date list can be found on its website.
In most local council areas, the use of fireworks and bonfires are banned on all beaches and public parks.
In Auckland, the Tūpuna Maunga Authority is blocking off public access to all 14 mountains and volcanic cones around Auckland to Guy Fawkes Night to protect them from fires.
Road access to Muriwai Beach, in northwest Auckland, will be closed to all vehicles from 2-11 November this year, to mitigate fire risk, the council said.
Can I buy fireworks now, then let them off later in the year?
There is nothing to prevent people letting off fireworks any night of the year, and they often appear in our skies for sports matches, concerts, cultural events such as Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights and New Year's Eve, as well as the Lunar New Year.
However, it is not recommended to store fireworks long-term as it could be hard to know whether they were still safe.
How do I let off fireworks safely?
FENZ says a responsible adult should always be around where fireworks are involved, and they shouldn't be lit in windy or dry conditions.
Obviously, keep children and animals safe, don't point fireworks at people, property, plants or pets, pick a spot away from anything that could catch fire, and stand well back once they are lit.
Keep water or a fire extinguisher on standby in case rockets go astray - roof fires are common occurrences at this time. And dispose of them safely, for example soaking them in a bucket of water before placing in your rubbish bin.
What is Guy Fawkes Night, anyway?
For many Kiwis, the very English origins of this quaint annual event have been lost in the mists of time.
In fact, Guy Fawkes Night commemorates the arrest on 5 November 1605 of the titular Fawkes, part of a group of English Catholics who had attempted to assassinate the Protestant King James I and blow up the House of Lords in what became known as the Gunpowder Plot. Post-Reformation England was still pretty raw on religious matters, and the public were allowed in later years to celebrate the king's survival and mark the papists' execution by lighting bonfires and fireworks.
Even today in parts of Britain, scarecrow-like effigies of Fawkes, the Pope and unpopular politicians are carefully crafted and then dumped on public bonfires. The Bonfire Night in Lewes is particularly spectacular, as neighbourhood groups dress up and process through freezing streets of the historic Sussex town, many hauling barrels of burning tar en route to the fireworks display.
In Aotearoa, there have been calls recently to "remember, remember the 5th of November" by marking the date as the invasion of Parihaka in Taranaki by colonial troops.
Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
