Guy Fawkes fears: Auckland mountains access restricted ahead of fireworks season

Author: NZ Herald,
Publish Date: Fri, 7 Oct 2022, 12:51pm

Access to a number of popular volcanic cones and scenic hot-spots across Auckland will be closed off to the public for a third year running over Guy Fawkes, to prevent damage being done to the "precious taonga".

Fifteen ancestral mountains across the city, including Mt Roskill and One Tree Hill, will be guarded by a patrol between Wednesday, November 2 and Sunday, November 6.

The patrol will include advisory signage and security staff, which will explain the closures to the public.

It's the third year running the mountains are being blocked off to the public during the festive sparkler season, after previous instances of devastating fires on the maunga caused fireworks.

Paul Majurey, chairman of the Tūpuna Maunga Authority, said the blockages were a "last resort".

"The authority was very pleased there were no fires on the maunga over Guy Fawkes 2020 and 2021, and by the support provided by local communities in protecting these iconic landscapes and public health and safety."

The authority wants to prevent a repeat of incidents such as the fires at Mt Wellington and Mt Eden on Guy Fawkes night 2019, an enormous blaze caused by fireworks at Te Pane o Mataaho/ Māngere Mountain, in December 2019 and successive blazes on protected mountains on April and September 2020.

"Ngā Tūpuna Maunga o Tāmaki Makaurau are among the most important cultural and natural heritage sites anywhere in New Zealand," said councillor Alf Filipaina, deputy chairman of the Tūpuna Maunga Authority.

"They are on the tentative list for Unesco World Heritage Status and it's critical that we safeguard them from harm."

Majurey added there had been calls from the authority, Auckland Council, the SPCA and many other groups around the country "for many years" to restrict the public sale of fireworks.

"In the hands of a few who lack self-control with reckless behaviours, fireworks have been the cause of immense damage and expense," he said.

"It remains vital that the Government puts measures in place that take fireworks out of the hands of those who aren't capable of using them sensibly, while still allowing the public to enjoy controlled public fireworks displays."

** Closure information:

All the Tūpuna Maunga will be closed from Wednesday, November 2 to Sunday, November 6 2022, from 7.30pm through to usual gate opening times the following day: