Report a bonfire

Contents

Bonfire guidelines

  1. Keep the number of bonfires to an absolute minimum and only burn dry garden refuse. Never burn household rubbish or other materials.
  2. If you are a trade or business you should not have a bonfire to dispose of your waste. Trade waste should be removed by a licensed carrier (unless it is green waste) and disposed of at a licensed site. For more information contact the Environment Agency.
  3. Be prepared to consult your neighbours before lighting a bonfire to seek their agreement and ensure that no inconvenience will be caused.
  4. Do not light a bonfire when weather conditions will cause problems. Smoke hangs in the air on damp, windless days and in the evenings and at sunset.
  5. Site the bonfire in a safe place and as far away as possible from your neighbours' property. Do not site near to buildings, fences, hedges, trees and similar.
  6. Do not light a fire when smoke will be blown over neighbours' property or roads.
  7. Do not use flammable liquids such as petrol, paraffin or methylated spirits to light a bonfire or keep it burning.
  8. Always keep the bonfire under supervision and ensure that is extinguished completely before you leave it by dousing with soil or water.
  9. Keep a hose pipe or buckets of water close to hand and be ready to extinguish the fire if problems arise, for example, a sudden change of wind direction.
  10. There are no times when bonfires are permitted or forbidden. However, it is important to consider your neighbours' activities, such as washing on the line, open windows, sitting in the garden, or decorating.

Page last reviewed: 5 October 2020