Flare reports in Upper North Island

Over the past few days there have been a number of reports of flare sightings around upper North Island. Vendors are selling Chinese lanterns that are capable of reaching heights of several hundred feet.

The lanterns are being mistaken as distress flares from boaties.

Emergency Services are required to investigate distress flares so any false activations are a waste of valuable resources. If the public are going to light lanterns, they need to use any other colour than red which is the international distress colour. Can you please advise the public of the difference between distress flares and the Chinese lanterns.

Distress flares are propelled to a height of around 300M. They then ignite and glow a very intense red colour and slowly decend over about 40-60 seconds.

The laterns accend and stay in the air for several minutes and the light will not be as bright.

• If a member of the public sees what they believe to be a distress flare can they observe the following:
• Is the flare falling or staying at a constant height?
• How bright is the light?
• What colour is the light?
• How long has the flare been in the air?
• Try and get some markers to pin point where the flare is?