Rubbish left on beach after bonfire 10 December 2010

Late on Friday 10 December a large group lit a fire on the southern end of the beach. Burning anything that came to hand, the group drank alcohol and stood about doing nothing much in particular.

With the fire risk at exteme, open fires are banned at Piha. A few flying embers could well have drifted onto the southern cliffs and started an inferno. Or, the dry dune vegetation could catch as happened as Long Bay recently.

The previous weekend a rain of fireworks, mainly sky rockets was launched from a bach a couple along from the surf club. The Fire Service has reported that most fires at Piha are caused by fire works.

At last year’s R&R AGM I put a motion that the R&R investigate a firework ban at Piha, to avoid the risk of devastating bush fires. From my own inquiries, it seems that while most of us think that fireworks are banned except on Guy Fawkes Day, in fact, it is only the sale that is controlled not the letting off of fireworks. I expect the R&R will report at the AGM what action it took to follow up this motion.

Daylight revealed that the site of the bonfire on the beach was littered with bottles and beer cans.

I will report on this site what the Fire Service and Police say residents should do when they see these activities occuring.