Fireworks have gone on sale in New Zealand in the lead up to Guy Fawkes Day on Saturday.
If you want to set off your own fireworks, you can buy them from certain retailers for only three days: from 2 November until 5 November.
You must be 18-years-old or older to buy fireworks – even sparklers, which can only be bought with other fireworks, not on their own.
So what are the rules on Guy Fawkes Day? Here’s what you need to know to avoid a visit from the local firefighters:
Āe (yes):
- Stick to your own backyard – if you are lighting your own fireworks, you must do that at home.
- Light fireworks on a calm evening, not a windy one.
- Keep a bucket of water or a hose nearby, and have someone ready to use it.
- Let your neighbours know what your plans are, and keep pets inside
Kāore (no):
- Lighting fireworks in public parks is not allowed.
- Fireworks go up, not sideways. Don’t point fireworks at other people.
- The Environmental Protection Authority, which manages fireworks rules, said it’s unclear if fireworks stay safe when they are stored. Don’t store unused fireworks for next year
