Pyrotechnic displays in last weekend’s international fireworks festival should have taken place in an area that would not have threatened a protected Natura site, environmental group Gaia Foundation said.

The foundation, which is responsible for the management of Golden Bay and the nearby Riviera, said on its Facebook page it was “appalled” to find the mess left in the area after the weekend’s show.

Organised by the Malta Tourism Authority, the three-day festival involved fireworks let off from a field in Marsaxlokk, then from Għajn Tuffieħa on Sunday and ending up last night at Grand Harbour.

The display ignited several small fires in the surrounding countryside. No one was injured but a spokesman for the authority said precautions had been taken and fire engines were on the scene throughout the show, ensuring the fires were quickly extinguished.

A spokesman for the foundation said they were not informed about the exact location of the festival.

“There was damage to the upper clay slopes as a result of fire, to the protected lygeum spartum grass and to a handful of trees. There was also a small fire on the opposite side of the road affecting a few pine trees. The event also left quite a lot of fireworks litter from the fallout, which fell onto the protected site,” the spokesman said.

The fireworks were let off from a field north of the Ħal Ferħ complex, below the road leading to the Għajn Tuffieħa car park. The foundation said, when it was consulted, that it was informed the location was to be the Golden Bay side of Ħal Ferħ, which was much further from the protected site. “On this basis Gaia did not think that it should have constituted a problem. However the site was then changed without Gaia’s knowledge,” it said.

Once the venue had changed, it should have been approached.

When contacted, Environment Minister Leo Brincat said the regulatory function was in the hands of Mepa.

“So much so, that I have reason to believe, from a copy I have received by Gaia themselves, that they directed their query to Mepa directly today,” Mr Brincat said, adding that “any reservations should have been communicated to the regulatory body rather than through Facebook”.

The owners of a wooden kiosk in Għajn Tuffieħa had been ordered to stay away from the area when the fireworks were let off.