The Fire Service took 402 emergency calls on Guy Fawkes overnight, including 19 in the South Island, and at the peak calls were coming in at the rate of three a minute.
Fire Service southern shift manager Brent Dunn told the Otago Daily Times crews were called to six fireworks related blazes in Otago and one in Southland.
Extra crews were rostered on to cope with an expected surge in callouts on Guy Fawkes night. However, it was relatively quiet, Mr Dunn said.
"Nineteen calls [in the South Island] on the top Guy Fawkes night isn't a lot. We would obviously prefer zero.''
In the 10-hour period (3pm Saturday to 1am Sunday), 12 vegetation fires were dealt with in Otago and Southland.
Mr Dunn advised people still planning to set off fireworks in coming days to exercise common sense, courtesy and caution.
A police spokeswoman said Guy Fawkes night was quiet for Southern police.
"We got a few calls but nothing serious related to fireworks and not many we had to attend,'' she said.
Nationally, there were 67 fireworks related incidents, including vegetation fires and bonfires which had got out of hand.
The Fire Service's national adviser of fire risk management, Todd O'Donoghue, said most calls were for nuisance fires, such as bushes, trees and bins being set alight.
Between 6pm on Saturday and 12.15am on Sunday the Fire Service had received 348 calls nationwide.
One callout was for a house in Papatoetoe, South Auckland, which was damaged by fireworks. Two occupants suffered smoke inhalation.
There were two tree fires in Auckland and fireworks were lit inside an New Zealand Post box in Rotorua.
Last year, the Fire Service received 325 callouts on Guy Fawkes night.
The SPCA renewed its call for a ban on the public sale of fireworks this week.
The animal welfare organisation launched a survey on Wednesday, in conjunction with the Companion Animal Council, asking the public to share their animals' experiences with fireworks.
SPCA chief scientific officer Arnja Dale said the survey had already received 1500 responses, and almost 90% opposed the sale of fireworks to the public.
"We will publish the results and present them to Government to discuss feasible and realistic options."
Dr Dale said the SPCA supports public displays but "we are way behind other countries" on the sale of fireworks for private use.
- additional reporting NZ Herald
