Bonfire Night: What You Can Safely Burn

Should I have a bonfire at home?

West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue says a garden bonfire can quickly get out of control and it doesn't recommend one: it suggests going to an organised display. If you do go ahead, it asks you to let its Control Room know beforehand on 0113 823 7007 (non-emergency), with the location, times and a contact number.

What can I burn on a bonfire?

Only clean, dry timber, says Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue. Dry wood burns hotter and makes less smoke, and Merseyside Fire and Rescue says to avoid damp material. Untreated logs, offcuts and kindling are all fine.

What should I never burn?

• Aerosols, gas canisters and tins of paint: Merseyside Fire and Rescue says some containers can explode.
• Tyres, batteries and bottles.
• Foam-filled furniture and anything containing foam.
• Plastics, rubber and household rubbish. GOV.UK says you can't burn household waste if it will cause pollution or harm people's health.
• Painted, treated or varnished wood, including pallets.
• Wet garden waste, which Defra says will create lots of smoke.

Bonfire safety checklist

1. Build it on the day. The British Hedgehog Preservation Society says to build bonfires on the day they're lit. If you've stored material, move it to a new spot just before lighting.
2. Site it well away from everything. Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue says 18 metres from buildings, sheds, trees, fences, overhead cables and parked cars.
3. Keep it small. No more than 3 metres high, says Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue.
4. Check for hedgehogs and pets. Lift the base gently with a pole or broom, never a fork, and use a torch to look and listen, as the Hedgehog Preservation Society advises. Light it from one side only, so anything inside can escape.
5. Light it safely. Use firelighters. Never use petrol, paraffin, diesel or white spirit.
6. Keep people back. Spectators should stay 5 metres away, and a responsible adult should supervise at all times, as West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue says.
7. Have water ready. Keep buckets of water or a hose nearby.
8. Put it out properly. Pour water on the embers so it can't reignite, as Merseyside Fire and Rescue advises, and don't leave it smouldering.

What are the rules on garden bonfires?

• There's no law against garden bonfires, and GOV.UK says they're allowed in smoke control areas. But you must follow the bonfire rules.
• Your council can serve an abatement notice if the smoke is a statutory nuisance, and ignoring it can lead to a fine, says GOV.UK.
• You could be fined if smoke drifts across a road and becomes a danger to traffic.
• On public moorland in the Bradford district, Bradford Council bans fires, barbecues, fireworks and Chinese lanterns until June 2028, with a £100 fixed penalty.
• Allotments set their own rules. Shipley Town Council, for example, allows bonfires only from October to March, on Saturdays after noon, and only for material grown on the plot.

What if I find a hedgehog?

The Hedgehog Preservation Society says to put it in a high-sided box with newspaper and air holes, somewhere quiet, and release it under a hedge or bush once the fire is out.