We are calling for the UK Government to introduce a nationwide ban on domestic bonfires.

Bonfires may seem like a harmless tradition, but for many people they are a serious and recurring nuisance that can affect health, wellbeing, safety, wildlife and the environment.

When garden waste and other materials are burned, smoke and pollutants are released into the air. This can cause significant problems for people living nearby, particularly those with respiratory conditions, allergies and other vulnerabilities. People should not have to close their windows, remain indoors or alter their daily lives because a neighbour has decided to burn waste.

Bonfires are a public nuisance

A bonfire on one property does not remain on that property. Smoke can travel across neighbouring gardens, into homes, through open windows and across roads and public spaces.

Repeated bonfires can cause:

● Smoke entering people’s homes

● Strong and unpleasant odours

● Reduced air quality

● Eye, throat and breathing irritation

● Anxiety and distress

● Washing and outdoor belongings becoming contaminated with smoke

● People being unable to enjoy their gardens or open windows

● Complaints and disputes between neighbours

A concern for health

Everyone deserves clean air around their home.

Bonfire smoke contains fine particulate matter and other pollutants. Repeated exposure to smoke can be particularly concerning for children, older people and those who are vulnerable to air pollution.

It is unreasonable for someone to be exposed to another person’s smoke simply because a neighbour chooses to burn garden or household waste.

A threat to the environment and wildlife

Bonfires can also harm the environment.

Burning waste releases pollutants into the atmosphere and contributes to unnecessary air pollution. Bonfires can also destroy insects and other wildlife that may be hiding within garden waste before it is burned.

There are far safer and more environmentally responsible ways of dealing with garden waste, including composting, garden-waste collections and recycling.

Bonfires can be dangerous

Every year, fires can spread beyond their intended area, particularly during dry or windy conditions. They can damage property, fences, trees and gardens and can pose a serious risk to people, animals and emergency services.

There is also the risk of people burning inappropriate materials, including plastics, treated timber and household waste, which can release even more harmful substances.

We need a modern approach

We understand that bonfires have traditionally been used to dispose of garden waste, but society has better and safer alternatives today.

A national ban on domestic bonfires would:

✔ Reduce unnecessary air pollution

✔ Protect people from unwanted smoke exposure

✔ Reduce neighbourhood nuisance and conflict

✔ Protect wildlife and the environment

✔ Reduce the risk of fires spreading

✔ Encourage safer and more sustainable waste disposal

We are therefore calling on the UK Government to introduce legislation prohibiting domestic bonfires, with appropriate exemptions only where genuinely necessary.

Clean air should not depend on whether your neighbour decides to light a fire.

If you agree that people, wildlife and the environment deserve better protection from domestic bonfires, please sign and share this petition.

Let’s put an end to domestic bonfires and find safer, cleaner ways to manage garden waste.