For the fourth year in a row, maunga throughout Tāmaki Makaurau will close in the evenings during the Guy Fawkes period, to limit fire risk.
All 14 ancestral tūpuna maunga will be off-limits to the public from Thursday, November 2, to Sunday, November 5, 2023 according to regulatory body, the Tūpuna Maunga Authority.
This decision comes in the wake of devastating fires in 2019 and 2020, which were attributed to fireworks and caused extensive damage to several maunga.
Among the affected sites were Maungarei (Mt Wellington), Maungawhau (Mt Eden and Te Pane o Mataoho or Te Ara Pueru (Māngere Mountain).
The blazes caused extensive damage to native vegetation, wildlife habitat, and tapu sites. The blaze on Maungarei / Mt Wellington in 2019 destroyed over 20 hectares of bush and scrub. A risk to public safety meant several evacuations were also required.
Tūpuna Maunga Authority chairperson Paul Majurey says repairing the damage inflicted by the fires has taken the authority years.
Protecting ‘significant taonga’
Throughout the closure period, the authority will have security staff patrolling the maunga, and signage will remind the public of the restrictions.
“The maunga are a significant taonga to mana whenua and the people of Tāmaki Makaurau. These closures help protect the maunga by eliminating fire damage. By reducing the risk of fires, we uphold the paramount historical, spiritual, ancestral, and cultural identity of the Tūpuna Maunga.” Majurey says.
All tūpuna maunga will be inaccessible from 7.30pm on Thursday, November 2, to the following day’s usual gate opening times.
Majurey reiterated the authority’s call for the government to stop the public sale of fireworks.
“As long as fireworks are publicly available, we are left with no choice but to restrict access to avoid more massive fires and the enormous damage they cause.”
Stop fireworks sales plea
“The authority, along with Auckland Council, the SPCA, and many other groups around the country, will continue to put pressure on the government to further restrict public sales of fireworks,” 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.”
The closed maunga are: Matukutūruru / Wiri Mountain, Maungakiekie / One Tree Hill,Maungarei / Mount Wellington, Maungawhau / Mount Eden, Maungawhau / Mount EdenMaungauika /
North Head, Ōwairaka / Te Ahi-kā-a-Rakataura / Mount Albert, Ōhinerau / Mount Hobson, Ōhuiarangi / Pigeon Mountain, Ōtāhuhu / Mount Richmond, Pukewīwī / Puketāpapa / Mount Roskill, Te Kōpuke / Tītīkōpuke / Mount St John, Takarunga / Mount Victoria and Te Pane o Mataaho / Te Ara Pueru / Māngere Mountain, Te Tātua a Riukiuta / Big King.