Is Guy Fawkes fizzling out?

Guy Fawkes Day was once a night of dazzling fireworks and backyard bonfires, but is now increasingly generating complaints on the local Facebook pages. 

Guy Fawkes seems to be losing its spark in New Zealand amid stricter fireworks regulations and growing public concern about safety, animal welfare, and the environmental impact, and even its cultural relevance.

Firework sales in New Zealand run from November 2 to 5, however an ongoing issue within communities is their use outside these times and the impact of fireworks on animals.

In June 2025, the “Pawprint Petition” was presented to Parliament, with more than 170,000 signatures gathered nationwide, calling for a ban on the public sale of fireworks, and is now being formally considered.

According to the latest Ministry for the Environment’s annual briefing on fireworks to the Minister, 575,544kgs of fireworks were imported in 2023, a 52 per cent increase on 2022.

However, in 2019 and 2020, major retailers Countdown and the Warehouse stopped selling fireworks due to public pressure and despite an increase in fire and property damage incidents in 2023, overall, fireworks related incidents have been trending downwards from a high in 2006.

The report noted that the main harms caused by fireworks were fires, property damage, injuries, public disturbances, and distress to animals.

As Guy Fawkes Day approaches, Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ) advises everyone to handle fireworks and sparklers with caution, particularly with the high winds across the country, as fires can quickly get out of control.

FENZ Waitematā Community Readiness and Recovery advisor Esther Anderson, says that if you’re lighting fireworks, make sure conditions aren’t dry or windy, get the landowner’s permission, use a wide open space away from anything flammable, keep water nearby, and always aim fireworks safely toward the sky. Be considerate of your community by letting neighbours know, keeping pets indoors, and soaking used fireworks in water before disposing of them.

“While there has been a fair bit of rain around, things do dry out quickly at this time of year, and, as we’ve seen, the current conditions will certainly allow fires to get large and out of control,” Anderson says. If there is a public fireworks display in your area, head along to that rather than light your own. Our preference is always that fireworks are best left in the hands of the professionals,” she says.

FENZ does not support the public sale of fireworks.

Visit www.checkitsalright.nz to check the current and upcoming conditions in your area, as well as to see if there are any bans in place.

Do you think the public sale of fireworks should be banned? Send your thoughts to hibiscusnews@localmatters.co.nz