Bonfire warning after crews attend over 1,500 fires

We’re urging people to avoid burning waste in their gardens after latest statistics revealed firefighters have attended over 1500 bonfires that have got out of control in the last five years.

With increasing numbers of residents now having to pay for their garden waste to be removed we’re concerned that these numbers could increase, as more residents look to burn their waste rather than pay the fee.

Head of Prevent and Protect Ian Read said: “With the current dry weather, we’re expecting people to be getting their gardens ready for summer and so they are likely to produce a lot of garden waste in the coming weeks. Although burning waste might seem like a good idea it’s really not worth the risk - the dry conditions mean that should a fire get out of hand it will spread extremely quickly to fences, trees, sheds or even your property.

“If you decide to take the risk we’d urge people to follow our safety tips which include making sure the fire is located away from trees, furniture and buildings and ensure it is monitored at all times, with easy access to a means of extinguishing the fire, like a garden hose, should it get out of control.

“We also ask that anyone planning on burning waste inform our Fire Control team so they can note the details to avoid sending a fire engine unnecessarily, as sometimes neighbours spot smoke and presume there is a fire they need to report.”

Residents are encouraged to:

• Always keep children and animals away from the fire at all times
• Discuss your plans with your neighbours beforehand to avoid causing alarm
• Keep the fire away from sheds, outbuildings, wheelie bins, fences, vegetation, trees and overhead cables
• Do not use oil, methylated spirits, paraffin or petrol to light the fire, as accelerants can cause uncontrolled explosions
• Ensure the fire is attended at all times and that you have a way to extinguish it by having a hose pipe or buckets of water nearby
• Do not burn items which produce toxic fumes including plastics, foam, paint, rubber, chipboard, plywood, flammable liquids (such as oil), batteries and containers of any variety that still contain or previously contained chemicals or flammable substances. Burning these materials is illegal and is harmful to the environment
• If you do decide to have a bonfire in your garden always notify us in advance by calling Fire Control on 0843 2999 247. The team will make a note of your details so they don’t automatically send fire engines if people think smoke in the area is an emergency they need to report.

For more information, including a video that is also translated in British Sign Language, visit our Bonfires webpage.