The Police Service of Northern Ireland and Northern Ireland Fire Service issued a joint safety call on 30 October 2026, ahead of Halloween, saying they expect to be busy over the weekend with a rise in calls about anti-social behaviour and the misuse of fireworks1.
Firework sales and use in Northern Ireland are tightly regulated, and breaches of the law carry hefty fines1. With the exception of indoor fireworks and sparklers, a licence is needed to buy or use skyrockets; licences issued by Stormont normally prohibit people from letting off fireworks between 11pm and 7am1. Garden and display fireworks are illegal to sell to under-18s1.
PSNI Superintendent Dan McPhillips said the force had been touring shops around the province to check that licences are up to date and the law is being followed1. He encouraged anyone troubled by firework misuse to contact the PSNI, adding that local police would be on patrol to help prevent anti-social behaviour and minimise disruption1.
Fire Service station commander Ciaran Flynn said Halloween usually means "an increase in preventable incidents"1. His safety advice for fireworks and sparklers was to keep them out of reach of children, wear gloves, light them from at least an arm's length distance, and keep a bucket of water nearby to dampen them after use1.
"We're urging everyone to use fireworks legally, safely and respectfully, being mindful of their impact on local communities, people with sensory sensitivities, and family pets"
Why it matters for households
The warnings apply to households in Northern Ireland, where the licensing rules differ from the rest of the UK: buying or using most fireworks other than indoor fireworks and sparklers requires a licence, and those licences normally bar use between 11pm and 7am1. The emergency services say they expect demand on police and fire crews to rise over the Halloween weekend, and the PSNI has asked residents to report firework misuse so that patrols can act on it1. The Fire Service's safety points cover children, gloves, lighting at arm's length and keeping water to hand1. The PSNI also asks people to consider the effect of fireworks on people with sensory sensitivities and on family pets1. Further guidance on legal use and safety is set out in the guide to fireworks, sparklers and bonfires, and the rules on alarms and fire services in the region are covered in Wales and Northern Ireland.
What happens next
Police patrols are planned over the Halloween weekend to prevent anti-social behaviour and respond to reports of firework misuse1. No further dates or figures on expected call volumes have been reported1.
Fireworks and Bonfire Safety
