East Aucklanders are advised that Ōhuiarangi / Pigeon Mountain and the other Auckland ancestral maunga (mountains) will be closed to the public at night during Guy Fawkes’ fireworks season this coming week.
The Tūpuna Maunga Authority says it’s closing all the maunga from 6pm to usual gate opening times from Saturday, November 2, to Tuesday, November 5, “to protect them from fires”.
It’s the sixth consecutive year the authority is closing the dormant volcanoes’ public reserves.
The authority says, “the closures come after a history of devastating fires caused by fireworks on Maungarei / Mt Wellington, Maungawhau / Mt Eden, and Te Pane o Mataoho / Te Ara Pueru / Māngere Mountain”.
“Despite the successful closures in recent years, we continue to identify concerning incidents involving the dangerous use of fireworks and have seen suspicious fires requiring emergency services.”
Authority chair Paul Majurey explains the need for the closures.
“The Tūpuna Maunga are of immense cultural, historical, and spiritual importance, and we have a duty to protect them,” he says.
“The continued threat posed by fireworks is serious, and these closures significantly reduce the risk of fire-related damage during Guy Fawkes.”
He says the authority will have security teams patrolling the maunga throughout the closure period and signage to remind the public of the restrictions will be in place.
Security teams will also be located on the maunga from Wednesday, November 6, to Sunday, November 10.
Majurey says the authority “continues to urge the Government to ban public sales of fireworks”.
“As long as fireworks remain available to the public, we have no option but to restrict access to the maunga to prevent destructive fires and the extensive damage they cause.
“The authority, alongside Auckland Council, the SPCA, and numerous other organisations across the country, will keep pressing the Government to tighten restrictions on the public sale of fireworks.
“It’s crucial that fireworks are only used in controlled environments, allowing people to enjoy them safely through organised public displays, while reducing the risk to people, property, and our sacred maunga,” says Majurey.
