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False fire alarms cost taxpayers up to $25 million in the last financial year, says the Fire Service.
Firefighters turned back from 20,373 of the 73,512 jobs they attended in the year to June.
Most of the false alarms, 41%, came from the Auckland region, where up to 74% of all calls to central city stations were false alarms, The New Zealand Herald reported.
Wellington had the second-largest number of false alarms (15%) followed by Canterbury (12%).
The Fire Service said a callout cost an average $1250, but some of that was reclaimed in fines.
The false alarms included bomb scares, excess smoke from a fire and alarm activations.
The Fire Service said more than one avoidable false alarm at a business or home in a year would result in a bill for the owner of $1250.
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