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Original poster

Bonfire on sunny day

57 replies

SmokedOut · 14/05/2023 16:42

Am I being unreasonable here? I live in a row of terraced houses with small gardens. It’s a rare sunny day in England. We were on our way home from the tip and looked forward to swinging our back doors open and having our toddler play in the garden whilst I cook dinner. My next door neighbour is doing a rather large bonfire of fresh bush and it’s so smoky our house smells of smoke even though we have all our windows and doors shut. This sounds dramatic, but being in the garden is a no go, it’s so smoky. So I’m home alone cooking whilst DH has taken our DS to the park to give him some fresh air and I’m cursing our next door neighbour. Is it just me or is it totally not cool to do bonfires when you have a row of terraced houses with small gardens? I would just put plant stuff in a garden bin or take it to the tip. Or at least check in with your neighbours first. First world problem I know 😂

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FoxCorner · 15/05/2023 11:40

I pay for a green waste bin. I think my parents get it free in their area and people on a low income get it free here. I don't like the idea of making the air smoky for neighbours, so it's a better option. We can take it to the tip for free as another option. Bonfires were more popular in the 70s but people smoked more then and didn't have green waste options. People are more aware of pollution these days

Daisydu · 15/05/2023 10:17

Mushroo · 15/05/2023 10:05

@Daisydu genuinely curious as I’ve never burnt anything in my life or felt the need to, what are you burning?

And why over putting it in the bin / composting it / taking it to the tip?

Mainly grass, leaves branches, I actually enjoy it and find it therapeutic. But like I said, I do check neighbours windows are shut and no washing out ect, and if they came out into the garden I’d put it out. I definitely don’t want to upset my neighbours that’s never my intention.

Mushroo · 15/05/2023 10:05

@Daisydu genuinely curious as I’ve never burnt anything in my life or felt the need to, what are you burning?

And why over putting it in the bin / composting it / taking it to the tip?

Daisydu · 15/05/2023 09:09

We burn stuff in the garden every 2 weeks or so, I always make sure neighbour’s windows are shut, washing isn’t out ect, and do it early evening. It’s not hard to be considerate when doing it. My next door neighbour years ago had a massive noisy metal windchime, it was so annoying, kept me awake at night, she wouldn’t take it down, I think that Is ridiculously antisocial and I bet some on here who hate the fires in gardens and complain about them have them 🤣

Betterbear · 14/05/2023 22:33

amoretti · 14/05/2023 19:54

On the first nice day of the year when people want to sit outside and enjoy some sun?
Utterly totally selfish behaviour by your DP

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Well actually the weather was overcast, windy and cool, where I am today. No one was sitting out.

Danikm151 · 14/05/2023 20:23

A place near me has been burning rubbish to clear out some land for a couple of weeks, yesterday it got out of control and the fire brigade had to use hydrants to put the fire out. 4 engines, police cordon and all local residents had to close their windows.

people don’t think!

Bonfire on sunny day
KezzaMucklowe · 14/05/2023 20:23

SmokedOut · 14/05/2023 19:35

Please tell me he didn’t set fire to the tree on purpose 😳

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Nope, he accidentally put too much petrol on the fire when he was lighting in (I know,I know)
It boomed and set fire to the tree. I'm pretty sure he got a fine for that too. Twat.

letsgojo · 14/05/2023 20:20

My neighbour has a log burner that she burns right at the fence and it blows in my bedroom and lounge window. Asthmatic son and I are poorly constantly.

Original poster
SmokedOut · 14/05/2023 19:54

PrincessHoneysuckle · 14/05/2023 19:49

@SmokedOut I certainly am

😊

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amoretti · 14/05/2023 19:54

Betterbear · 14/05/2023 17:37

My dp is doing this as I type. He does this twice a year. Our garden wall is 10ft tall so probably makes a difference. The neighbours can't really tell which garden it is coming from.

On the first nice day of the year when people want to sit outside and enjoy some sun?
Utterly totally selfish behaviour by your DP

PrincessHoneysuckle · 14/05/2023 19:49

@SmokedOut I certainly am

Original poster
SmokedOut · 14/05/2023 19:39

UWhatNow · 14/05/2023 18:18

Burning green stuff will always produce loads of smoke. Why doesn’t he put it in his green bin? He sounds like a selfish thicko with not one thought for anyone but himself - and I say that as someone who has plenty of bonfires throughout the year. You use proper wood and don’t do it in the day when folks have washing out!

I’d have gone round and talked to him in my best patronising school matron voice. Idiot men like that need a stern lesson in consideration for others.

I would if I wasn’t an absolute scardy cat 😂I felt quite brave texting them (when I say them I mean his partner as I don’t have his number), which I realise is pathetic!

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Original poster
SmokedOut · 14/05/2023 19:37

Theunamedcat · 14/05/2023 17:58

We had someone have a bonfire during a drought a couple of years ago took out the neighbours fence and damaged the tree which dropped a limb on my trampoline a few months later you could see the soot and damage on it from the fire I tried pushing it back into their garden (it's their fucking tree) and they threw it into my garden in the night ripping the netting on the bloody trampoline the landlord was useless told me to "just dispose of it rather than wreck neighbourly relationship"

Seriously what amicable relationship can you have with a pot head pyromaniac

Omg, some people are unbelievable, it really baffles me

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Original poster
SmokedOut · 14/05/2023 19:36

PrincessHoneysuckle · 14/05/2023 17:57

If we burn anything dh leaves it til early evening and we give neighbours the heads up so they bring washing in

The model neighbour!

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Original poster
SmokedOut · 14/05/2023 19:35

KezzaMucklowe · 14/05/2023 17:54

We did exactly this and our neighbours ended up getting a fine.
The idiot even set fire to a tree in his garden.

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Please tell me he didn’t set fire to the tree on purpose 😳

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Original poster
SmokedOut · 14/05/2023 19:34

ooooofffff · 14/05/2023 17:43

Our neighbour started having them daily last summer! 30 degrees outside. Garden full of smoke and all our windows closed 🤯

DH spoke to him, neighbour went mad and claimed there was no way smoke travels?!

He did later come and apologise once he'd calmed down. But honestly, some people are so weird and thoughtless

Daily 😳

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Lcb123 · 14/05/2023 19:34

I would ask them to wait until evening. And no burn freshly cut stuff!

Original poster
SmokedOut · 14/05/2023 19:33

Stratocumulus · 14/05/2023 17:27

What I did in that situation ….

I went round to the neighbour & politely pointed out that I had a line of washing out (bedding), another pregnant neighbour had just put out a full line of baby clothes ( presumably washed to freshen them up) and all my upstairs was getting smoke filled.
Fortunately he has never lit one again but I also told him that just because he thought his previous bonfire some weeks earlier, had gone out, it didn’t mean a zephyr of wind overnight wouldn’t fire it up again. He had no idea that some weeks previous I’d had to rise from bed & shut windows!

I’ve also risen from my bed a few years ago, at 0500 on a early autumn morning to shove a note thru a more distant neighbour’s door to ask that he thoroughly douse his bonfires before bed time. He was leaving them smouldering overnight, and if the breeze was coming in my direction it was giving me breathing issues.
Take your courage in hand and speak to your antisocial neighbour. I feel your pain! Good luck.

That all sounds rotten and like it’s a frequent problem for you! I feel for you ❤️

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Lcb123 · 14/05/2023 19:33

YANBU. Bonfires in urban areas should be illegal. There’s no reason I can see to have one, when council collect garden waste or you can take it to the tip

Original poster
SmokedOut · 14/05/2023 19:32

Gtsr443 · 14/05/2023 17:24

Rubbish.
The pyromaniac bonfire shagger next door managed to set fire to our fence, overhanging trees and himself. Fire Brigade were furious with him.It was last summer when they were already stretched. Everything was tinder dry. I was praying they'd prosecute the twat.

We used to live in an area where bonfires were banned until after dusk. Very sensible.

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Set fire to himself, damn 😯What country do you live in if you don’t mind me asking?

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Original poster
SmokedOut · 14/05/2023 19:30

Superdupes · 14/05/2023 17:01

Just a bit of smoke that stops you from enjoying your own garden on a sunny day? Just a bit of smoke that is really unhealthy to be breathing in? Just a bit of smoke that makes your hair and clothes stink?

The only people that are going to defend this are the ones who do it themselves without a thought to their neighbours IMO.

I feel like people fall into one or two camps on this one. I wonder if we did something similar (bonfire on nice day) whether they would be like “yeah, cool, that’s totally fine” or would they be just as annoyed as us.

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TheChosenTwo · 14/05/2023 19:25

Our neighbour burns stuff quite often (no idea what or why) but always later on in the evening, from about 8pm onwards. And will usually shout over the fence if he knows we’re out in our garden to just let us know as it gives us time to bring in the washing if there’s any outside.
when I say quite often it’s probably only really about once a month 😂

Original poster
SmokedOut · 14/05/2023 19:21

Thank you for all the replies, was worried I was being a bitter grump! I messaged next door and offered they use our garden bin next time or give a heads up beforehand. His partner was a bit mortified as she was out and and didn’t know a bonfire had been lit and her clothes washing was out. So not the only one annoyed!

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GoodChat · 14/05/2023 19:09

He should have waited for the bush to dry out.
You're well within your rights to call the fire brigade if it's not properly contained.

thatsn0tmyname · 14/05/2023 19:03

Don't get me started on weed smokers and warm, sunny evenings.