Clear skies and a westerly breeze of 20 km/h are forecast for Guy Fawkes festivities tonight with early fireworks celebrations sparking two fire call-outs for Tauranga firefighters overnight.

Geerton Fire Brigade had two fireworks related calls last night - both in the rural area caused by sparks from fireworks being blown into vegetation.

Tauranga firefighters were called to two fires caused by fireworks overnight and are warning people to be careful tonight.

A fire at Waioroi Road in Oropi at 8.53pm was caused by sparks from fireworks setting fire to cut gorse on a neighbouring property, says Greerton station officer Paul Van Kol.

An hour later the Greerton brigade was called to McLaren Falls Road where sparks from fireworks started 'a nice little bush fire.”

'They threw about 40 buckets of water on it before we got there,” says Paul.

There were 36 vegetation fires reported in the Northern Communications Fire district between 4pm and midnight on Sunday. The district covers the top half of the North Island.

Tauranga firefighters were also called to a roadside fruit stand fire on Bethlehem Road fire at about 10.40pm.

Senior station officer Mark Keller says the fire was arson.

He says firefighters looked around the area of the fruit stand to see if they could find a group of young people reported to be in the area, allegedly stealing road cones and throwing stones, but no one was found.

Police were also called to the fire.

Mount station officer Lindsay Nichol says the number of call outs to Guy Fawkes ignited fires has eased off since the Government banned sky rockets and fire crackers in 1994.

There were further government impositions in 2007 when the sale period for fireworks was reduced from ten days to four days before November 5, raising the purchasing age to 18, and capping noise levels at 90 decibels.

It has resulted in fewer animals being deliberately maimed, and fewer ACC claims from fireworks injuries.

The fire service also had fewer calls to fireworks-related fires in vegetation, buildings, and cars as well as nuisance fires in rubbish bins, letterboxes and other small spaces.

Before 2007 Police reported more than 20 per cent of their calls for disorderly behaviour, bomb incidents and property damage were fireworks related during the sales period.

Guy Fawkes tried to blow up the English houses of parliament in 1605. He was engaged in the plot with eleven others because of a military background and experience in handling explosives.

He was caught red handed setting the fuses to 36 barrels of gunpowder stowed in a cellar beneath the House of Lords when authorities arrived.

Some of the plotters began having second thoughts when it became clear the plan to kill the King, maybe even the Prince of Wales, and Members of Parliament who were making life difficult for the Catholics, would also kill innocent people.

The details of the plot were leaked and Guy Fawkes was arrested and taken to the Tower of London with the instruction that he should be tortured lightly at first with the use of manacles and then onto the rack.

He began to give the torturers information after two days, but it took another 24 hours before any information about his friends was extracted. His signature on his Confession is really shaky. He had to be assisted to climb the gallows on January 31. Before he could be hanged, he jumped off, breaking his neck in the fall. His body, like the others was quartered and his and his three friend's body parts were despatched to the four corners of the kingdom.

This poem or nursery rhyme was created afterwards to ensure each new generation would remember the Gunpowder plot, and the nasty end awaiting traitors.

Please to remember the fifth of November, the gunpowder treason and plot.

For we see no reason why gunpowder treason should ever be forgot

Guy Fawkes Guy, 'twas his intent to blow up king and parliament

Three score barrels were laid below, to prove old England's overthrow.

By God's mercy he was catched with a dark lantern and lighted match.

Holler boys, holler boys, let the bells ring. Holler boys, holler boys, God save the King.

On the night that the Gunpowder Plot was foiled, bonfires were set alight to celebrate the safety of the King. Since then, the night has become known as Bonfire Night, which was legally recognised until 1869. The event is commemorated every year with fireworks and by burning effigies of Guy Fawkes on a bonfire. The effigies are made out of old clothes stuffed with scrunched-up paper to make them look like a man. The 'Guys” are then put on the fire and burned.