Likely culprits flee after fire on Te Mata Peak
Families letting off fireworks at the top of Hawke’s Bay’s Te Mata Peak on Saturday night ditched the scene once they were confronted about a fire they may have caused.
Police are investigating the scrub fire, which left charring on the peak.
Fire and Emergency NZ communication shift manager David Meikle said firefighters were called to the scene at 9.26pm. One engine was sent from Havelock North and two from Hastings. It took crews about two hours to extinguish the blaze, he said.
Hastings resident Daniel, who did not want to give his surname, lives within sight of the peak and said he and his partner went up to watch the fireworks. ‘‘We could hear people letting them off up the top so we thought, while we’re awake, we’ll go up the top and have a look,’’ he said.
‘‘As we were driving up to the top where the road becomes one lane, we could see the fire on the side of the hill. We carried on up and drove right up to the very top car park, turned around, stopped and parked. I thought, surely they know that fire is there.
‘‘I hopped out of my car, walked over to the side and looked, and as I was doing it, one of the people that was there walked out to the middle of the car park and puts down a firework and starts letting it off.
‘‘I thought you’ve got to be kidding me. I turned around and said, ‘Excuse me, do you realise the hill’s on fire?’ They looked at me with a dumb face going, ‘What fire? No it’s not’.’’ ❚ ❚ ❚ ❚
The groups came over and had a look, then panicked, he said. Someone phoned emergency services and the people who were letting the fireworks off ‘‘jumped in their vehicles and left’’.
The people setting off the fireworks were a couple of families with children, he said.
Te Mata Peak and its surrounding park are home to native vegetation and wildlife.
Last Wednesday, the Green Party said it had written to the environment select committee, asking for public consultation on banning the private use and sale of fireworks.
The party’s animal welfare spokesman, Gareth Hughes, said fireworks started fires, caused accidents, and distressed and sometimes injured animals.
It was time for private sales to end and be replaced by safer public displays, he said.
Fireworks can be sold for the three days leading up to Guy Fawkes, and on the day itself (November 2-5). You must be 18 years or older to buy them. There are no rules about when during the year you can set fireworks off, however there are some rules about where. Many councils halt fireworks in public places, like parks or beaches.