Is it time for a fireworks ban?

You may not have heard of the Tu¯ puna Maunga Authority, but it co-governs 14 of Auckland’s iconic maunga, or volcanic cones, including such civic and even national landmarks as Maungawhau/Mt Eden, Maungakiekie/One Tree Hill and Maungauika/ North Head. The volcanic cones are seen as central to ‘‘the historical, spiritual, ancestral and cultural identity’’ of Auckland iwi. One could go further than that and say they matter to the whole country.

The authority banned private fireworks on the 14 maunga in 2014 but not everyone noticed or cared. After fireworks caused massive fires on Maungarei/Mt Wellington and Maungawhau/Mt Eden on Guy Fawkes Night on Wednesday, the ban will be rigorously enforced in future.

As authority chair Paul Majurey explained, ‘‘There have been repeated fires on the maunga at Guy Fawkes as a result of some members of the public who are unable to resist placing personal fun over public safety. These fires are serious – they cause significant harm to these iconic taonga and pose a real risk to people and property.’’

The maunga issue illustrates a wider story about fire danger, the public mood and politics. While there is significant public support for a total ban on private fireworks sales, and that support has been growing steadily, even politicians who generally agree with the ban and recognise that fireworks are both dangerous and a nuisance are afraid of being painted as the fun police by opponents. Auckland Council voted in February to ban private fireworks sales after considering a report that showed nearly 90 per cent of almost 8000 public submissions supported making private sales and use illegal. Yet councillors recognised that the Government showed no interest in a ban.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, who lives not far from Maungawhau/Mt Eden, told More FM suburban Auckland sounded like ‘‘a war zone’’ on Wednesday and yet she remains firmly on the fence over whether anything can or should be done about it. ‘‘There’s got to be some way we can just make sure people keep safe, but still have fun,’’ she said. ‘‘But we haven’t quite figured out what that solution is.’’ She proposed having ‘‘a bit of a conversation’’ with local councils.

A leader who was unafraid to front a plastic bag ban and a gun ban could easily do more than have a bit of a conversation about fireworks. Wednesday night seemed to present a clear case for the banning of private fireworks, and a restriction to well-managed public events.

New Zealand on Wednesday was the land of the long, smoky cloud. There were 55 fire incidents across Auckland and Northland, including the fires on the maunga. Paddocks and trees near railways were set ablaze in Waikato and the Bay of Plenty, with around 16 fireworks-related fires in the two districts. In Palmerston North, an errant skyrocket appears to have caused a large scrub fire during a public fireworks display.

In the Christchurch suburb of Parklands, three urban trucks and a rural crew fought a burning hedge that came perilously close to setting a house on fire.

Of course, for every one of these incidents, there are many more examples of families setting off skyrockets that do nothing more antisocial than keep kids awake on school nights and frighten cats and dogs. Once again, society and its elected representatives will have to determine whether we curtail the activities of a responsible majority because of the actions of an irresponsible minority. But it is clear that, this year, there is a mood for change like never before.