Few problems during quiet Guy Fawkes

Stella Hansen (12, left) and Mikayla Wood (11), both of Mosgiel, enjoy fireworks at Unity Park, Montecillo on Saturday night. Photo: Peter McIntosh.

Fire brigades in Otago and Southland had a steady night attending 18 fire callouts in 10 hours from 3pm Saturday until 1am Sunday. However, only seven were attributed to fireworks.

The Fire Service  recorded only 19 fireworks-related callouts in the South Island on the night.

"We would obviously prefer zero," Fire Service southern shift manager Brent Dunn said yesterday.

"[But] Nineteen calls on the top Guy Fawkes night isn’t a lot of calls."

Six of those were in Otago and one in Southland, he said.

Extra crews were rostered on to cope with an expected surge in callouts on Guy Fawkes night and the low number of incidents posed few problems for firefighters.

A police spokeswoman said Guy Fawkes night was also quiet for Southern police.

"We got a few calls but nothing serious related to fireworks and not many we had to attend," she said.

The Fire Service was called to an unpermitted bonfire throwing up large plumes of smoke in Halfway Bush about 5.30pm on Saturday.

Members of the public were concerned it was threatening houses and, because the fire was in breach of fire restrictions, Dunedin Central firefighters extinguished it shortly after arrival.

Fireworks resulted in two calls within 30 minutes for the Cromwell Volunteer Fire Brigade on Saturday night.

Chief Fire Officer Steve Shaw said the first, just before 11pm, was to a grass fire beside State Highway 8B, opposite the Cromwell Golf Course.

It was believed to have been started by fireworks and was doused within about 15 minutes.

The second call was to the Alpha St Reserve, where spent fireworks were still burning about 11.20pm. Firefighters dampened them down because a strong wind was blowing, Mr Shaw said.

Firework displays in Alexandra, Arrowtown and Roxburgh on Saturday night, staged by the towns’ volunteer fire brigades, attracted good crowds, with about 1000 people gathering for the Arrowtown display.

The Arrowtown display, which had been moved to a new site near the Arrow River this year, was a successful and fun evening, Chief Fire Officer Murray Forward said.

"It was just a better atmosphere, better backdrop. The hills in the background give you a darker appearance and echo," he said.

Queenstown’s Fire Safety Officer Stu Ide said firefighters in the area did have to respond to any firework safety issues over the weekend. That was mirrored in Balclutha, Oamaru and Wanaka.

Rain around the region had reduced the fire risk, but also led to lush vegetation growth and firefighters across the region urged vigilance for anyone using fireworks in coming days.

Mr Dunn said anyone planning to set off fireworks should exercise common sense, courtesy and caution, and be prepared with a bucket of water.

Cromwell’s public fireworks display will be staged in the heritage precinct this Friday night.