Garden Bonfi res
November seems a good month to talk about bonfi res. I’m not actually a huge fan of the garden bonfi re; I think that generally there are better ways of disposing of garden waste. Most green waste, such as leaves or grass can be recycled. Woody waste can be shredded and either composted or used as mulch, though it may be more cost- eff ective to hire a shredder rather than buy one outright if your garden is small.
But if wood is diseased a bonfi re may be the best way to deal with it. So what are the rules regarding garden bonfi res? Rather surprisingly there are no specifi c laws against having a bonfi re, or when you can have one. There may be local by-laws though: laws made by a local authority and applicable only in a defi ned geographical area. Phone your council or check their website for further information. If you rent a property you’ll need to check under your tenancy agreement too, in order to fi nd out whether bonfi res are permitted.
Laws about bonfi res are generally concerned with their potential nuisance value. So you can’t burn plastics, or painted household waste which may produce toxic fumes or thick smoke harmful to asthma suff erers. Also, the Highways Act states that it is an off ence to light a bonfi re near a road if the drifting smoke may cause a traffi c hazard.
Mostly though bonfi res are all about common sense. The smoke and smell from a fi re might annoy your neighbours, especially if it prevents them from opening their windows or hanging out their washing. It’s polite to warn your neighbours beforehand; they may have an outdoor party planned or want to spend the afternoon pottering in their garden. Light your bonfi re at a time least likely to cause a nuisance – remember on a warm sunny day people are more likely to be out in their garden, enjoying it. Only burn dry material because damp material creates a lot of smoke.
The other issue with bonfi res is, of course, safety. • Build the bonfi re away from sheds, fences and trees. • Don’t build it too large and make sure it’s stable • Check the bonfi re for hibernating wildlife. • Don’t use petrol or paraffi n to start the fi re as these accelerate the fl ames and may cause the fi re to burn out of control. Keep a bucket of water or a hose handy—just in case... • Don’t leave the fi re unattended and keep small children and pets out of the way. • Pour water over the embers to stop them re-igniting.
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