New Year revellers blamed for fire

Auckland firefighters spent most of the night fighting a scrub fire on Ponui Island in the Hauraki Gulf.

The fire was believed to be started by distress flares set off by New Years revellers, Inspector Andrew Brill from Northern Communications said today.

The Police Maritime unit spoke to a number of people visiting the island at the time the fire was started, and charges relating to misuse of distress flares were being considered, Mr Brill said.

- NZPA