Stacy Squires/Stuff
Area commander Dave Stackhouse shows the areas where fireworks have been banned. The ban – which included Akaroa, Bottle Lake, New Brighton and the Port Hills – would take effect from 6pm on Wednesday. “These are all high risk areas and what we saw on Friday night was completely unnecessary and avoidable,” he said. Friday s fire, which burned through 25 hectares on the Port Hills, was caused by two youths playing with fireworks. Stackhouse said firefighters were working with police, but it was too early to say whether any charges would be laid. “Using fireworks should be completely out of the question, and we will take a very dim view of anyone who is found to be using them while this ban is in place.”
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The
ban is effective from 6pm this evening (16
December).
Overnight on Friday there was a significant
fire above Hillsborough which burnt through 25 hectares and
caused around 40 homes to be evacuated.
Fire and
Emergency can now confirm the blaze was caused by fireworks
late on Friday night.
As a result, and with conditions
drying out around Christchurch, Area Commander Dave
Stackhouse is banning the use of fireworks under Section 52
of the Fire and Emergency Act.
Section 52 of the Act
allows Fire and Emergency to restrict activities that may
start or cause the spread of fire. These are all high
risk areas, Mr Stackhouse says, and what we saw on Friday
A barn owned by Kester Vos was the only structure destroyed in the fire. He was yet to speak to police about the cause of the fire, but said he had encountered people drinking alcohol and lighting fireworks in the area regularly over the last 20 years. “Rather than barrelling in and go aggressive I’ve just pleaded with them to think about their actions and what could end up happening. It’s worked for about 20 years.” He said it “defied commonsense” why people chose to let off fireworks on the hills when the Hillsborough Domain was nearby. “When you’re setting off fireworks you don’t need elevation because they go up any way.”