Buying guide

Am I in a Smoke Control Area? Council Maps for Yorkshire and Lancashire

The quickest check is Defra's smoke control map, but Defra says its map is only a guide, so confirm with your council. Across our delivery area, all of Kirklees, Barnsley and Manchester are smoke control areas, most of Leeds, Harrogate, Skipton and Pendle are covered, and the whole of York joins them on 1 November 2026. The table below links to each council's own page or map.

The Logs Local team Kiln-dried logs from our yard in Keighley

Updated 4 min read

In this guide
  1. How do I check if I'm in a smoke control area?
  2. Smoke control areas by council
  3. What if I'm in a smoke control area?
  4. What if I'm not in one?
  5. Questions

How do I check if I'm in a smoke control area?

  1. Look up your address on Defra's map. The smoke control map covers England, but Defra says you should always contact your local council to confirm.
  2. Check your council's own map. Most councils in our area publish a more detailed map. The table below links to each one.
  3. Ask the council if you're still not sure. GOV.UK says to contact your local council to find out if you live in a smoke control area.

Smoke control areas by council

Council Towns we cover What the council says Map or page
Bradford Bradford, Keighley, Ilkley, Bingley, Shipley, Haworth, Silsden You can only burn authorised fuels in a smoke control area unless you use a Defra-approved appliance. Bradford map · council page
Leeds Leeds, Otley, Horsforth, Pudsey A large number of areas in Leeds are controlled by smoke control orders. Leeds map · council page
Calderdale Halifax, Brighouse, Hebden Bridge Wood is not an authorised fuel. Orders cover most urban and some rural areas. Calderdale map (tick Smoke control areas) · council page
Kirklees Huddersfield, Dewsbury and Batley, Mirfield, Holmfirth, Cleckheaton Kirklees is a smoke control area, with only a few exempted properties. council page
Wakefield Wakefield, Castleford, Pontefract Several orders made between 1958 and 1994. A single order for the whole district is proposed. council page
City of York York The whole council area becomes a smoke control area from 1 November 2026. council page
North Yorkshire Harrogate, Skipton, Selby Most of Harrogate, most of Skipton and parts of South Craven, and seven areas around Selby. council page and maps
North Yorkshire Knaresborough, Ripon, Pateley Bridge, Settle, Grassington, Leyburn, Richmond No smoke control areas. The council lists none for Knaresborough, Ripon, Pateley Bridge or the former Richmondshire district, and the former Craven orders cover Skipton and South Craven only. council page
Sheffield Sheffield The urban area is a smoke control area. The rural north-west is not. Sheffield map · council page
Barnsley Barnsley The whole of Barnsley is a smoke control area. council page
Rotherham Rotherham The council's air quality planning guidance says the whole of the borough is in a smoke control area. planning guidance · air quality page
Pendle Pendle, Colne The majority of Pendle has been declared a smoke control area. council page
Burnley Burnley Many areas of the borough are in smoke control areas. council page
Rossendale Rossendale The whole borough is a smoke control area, apart from a few outlying rural properties. 2025 air quality report
Hyndburn Accrington Almost the whole of Hyndburn is covered, apart from a small area at Belthorn. council page
Blackburn with Darwen Blackburn, Darwen Most of the urban centres are included. Wood, timber and logs are not authorised fuel. council page
Preston Preston Certain areas of Preston have been designated smoke control areas. council page
Manchester Manchester The whole of Manchester has been a smoke control area since 1985. council page
Bolton Bolton A council air quality report describes the whole of Bolton as a smoke control area. air quality report

Checked 21 October 2026. Councils change their orders from time to time, so their own pages have the final word.

What if I'm in a smoke control area?

  • Stove: you can burn wood only if your stove is Defra exempt, and only the fuel its exemption names. See Defra exempt stoves explained.
  • Open fire: you can only burn an authorised smokeless fuel. Several councils, including York and Kirklees, say a little dry kindling is fine for lighting it.
  • Fire pit, chiminea or barbecue: GOV.UK says you can use these outdoors in a smoke control area.

More in can you burn wood in a smoke control area?.

What if I'm not in one?

You can burn dry logs in any stove or open fire. Burn wood at 20% moisture or less, and remember that nuisance law applies everywhere: a council can act if smoke from your chimney is a nuisance to neighbours.

Questions

Is Keighley a smoke control area?

Parts of the Bradford district are. Bradford Council's map shows the exact boundaries, so check your street there.

Is the whole of Leeds a smoke control area?

Leeds City Council says a large number of areas are. Check your postcode on its map.

Who enforces smoke control areas?

Your local council. It can issue a civil penalty of £175 to £300 for smoke from a chimney, after a notice and a chance to object.

Do the rules cover a stove in a summerhouse or garden room?

Yes, if it uses a chimney on the roof of a building. GOV.UK says the fuel rules then apply unless the appliance is exempt.

Back to our wood burner rules guide.

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