In New Plymouth, since Thursday, someone has been using fireworks nightly from 7 pm till late. Saturday it stopped last night at 11 pm.

I was awaked at 1 am by what I drowsily thought was someone throwing tennis balls at my bedroom window. I’m sure someone thought that was funny.

I expect a repeat tonight, on Guy Fawkes today.

Last New Years there were 12 incidents involving the fire service and fireworks. Incidents scattered across the country in one night were a house roof fire, a government building roof fire, a park fire, four homes evacuated, campers fled a reserve, a school site fire, several hectares burned, many fire worker worked at many sites on foot up to 2:30 am in sites too rough for appliances.

SPCA and zoos are asking Kiwis to not purchase or use any fireworks.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said he believes banning fireworks is not something he'd ever look at doing: "I think people should have a choice and I think there has been good education, growing education over a number of years"

NewshubNew survey reveals most Kiwis support banning backyard or recreational fireworks

As Guy Fawkes fast approaches and fireworks set to go on sale from Thursday, a new survey has found the majority of Kiwis support a ban on their use.

The survey released to AM by AA Insurance found 53 percent of those surveyed supported a ban for recreational use, while an additional 20 percent wanted to go further and have fireworks banned entirely.

Tom Bartlett from AA Insurance told AM on Wednesday a lot of the respondents cared about the safety of others.

He told co-host Melissa Chan-Green AA was "surprised" by the amount of people who wanted to ban fireworks completely.

"I think that takes the current theme of people care about the safety and the responsibility and the public nuisance that fireworks can cause," he said.

Scaring animals, risk of fire, social disruption and irresponsible use ranked among the top reasons for people wanting them banned.

"We're a nation that loves our pets and so there's a real big issue around fireworks and our pets... also, the potential for fires, the potential for property damage and for personal injury, so that was a big concern raised and finally, just the social disturbance and nuisance it causes," Bartlett said.

"I think not everybody is conscious about when they set fireworks off and so those with young families have probably had to sit through many nights of fireworks going off all through the night and I think that really gets at Kiwis."

While fireworks can only be sold for the four days leading up to Guy Fawkes, many local councils have banned their use in public places such as parks or beaches.
Traumatic week for animals: SPCA, zoos back calls for fireworks ban
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It comes after the SPCA on Monday pleaded with Kiwis to put fireworks down and to "take a stand for animal welfare".

The charity said it receives dozens of welfare calls every year relating to animals that have run away in distress, been injured, frightened and occasionally deliberately abused with fireworks.

In a statement, SPCA scientific officer Alison Vaughan said the loud noises and bright flashes from fireworks can cause "severe distress" for pets, farm animals and native bird populations.

"Research shows that fireworks can have both short and long-term impacts on bird populations, from the initial panic causing birds to flee an area or even death to long-term impacts on breeding success.

"A survey of horse guardians in New Zealand also found that 35 percent of respondents reported having horses break through a fence in response to fireworks and more than a quarter of respondents reported horses sustaining injuries."
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