Fire and Emergency New Zealand is banning the use of fireworks and sky lanterns for the Wellington District, including the Wairarapa, until further notice. The ban includes Wellington, Porirua, the Hutt Valley, the Kapiti Coast and the Wairarapa. .
Wild winds are battering parts of the North Island, with reports of strong gusts felling trees. In Auckland, NZTA is warning motorists that due to strong.