How to address late-night firepit smoke from neighbours diplomatically?

[Doodledoggle]

Hi all,

I have an issue with neighbours repeatedly having firepit bonfires late at night. I am asthmatic.

We live in the south and it hasn't been below 28 degrees in the day for weeks and so we look forward to the cool air at night.

Last night, for the third time this week I fell asleep to lovely cool fresh country air when we opened the windows at 9pm and woke up at 2am to the bedroom full of the smell of smoke.

Except last night it was so bad I had to sit downstairs taking repeated inhaler doses as I couldn't breathe. I still feel breathless despite many doses of fostair.

The problem is I don't know which neighbour it is and so I need to either knock on doors or send a note.

Our house is perpendicular to the village and our bedroom windows all face one way (long thin house).

Aibu to say something? How would I phrase if? I tend to go at these things like a bull in a China shop when I'm upset and I need some help with diplomacy here!

We are rural, but it is a village and in the summer months the breeze always blows towards our house as we are south/south west facing.

Can anyone help please?

I live rurally and have mostly been affected by people moving in who have never lived in the countryside They seem to immediately start burning bloody everything in their gardens before they eventually realise how anti social it is.

When I was peri though, I was convinced the woodburner was leaking (only winter night time use-it's that or freeze). I could smell it constantly in my bedroom and even had the company out to check it. Then one day I smelt it and it wasn't lit!!! Is your partner smelling it too? Just a thought!

Yes, you keep saying, as you did when you were using the other name.

That's hardly surprising, when you learn that one woodburner produces the same amount of air pollution as 60 lorries.

The ill effects of wood burning stove/open fires/bonfires have been known for years and yet people don’t seem to want to acknowledge it and legislation seems to be so out of date. I have an air purifier and it lights up like a beacon when my neighbours have barbecues or use their fire pits even when the windows and doors are closed. This last weekend I had to keep everything closed all evening thanks to various neighbours. They are having a great time and I’m stuck indoors as I’m asthmatic and have lung disease.

The smoke from wood burners can absolutely sink down to the level of the houses in certain weather conditions. I know because a neighbour of mine has one and I can smell it inside on some days.

This drives me absolutely crazy. It stinks and fills your house with smoke when all you want is fresh air. They should be banned. I live in a densely populated area and at least three households think it’s ok to inflict their pollution (amongst other things) on everyone else. It’s outrageously anti social.

If you have a village Facebook I would consider posting on there saying it's causing a smoke issue affecting health and does anyone know where it's coming from though it would identify you.

Other option is call Environmental Health at local council and see if they can do anything though I think this may appear as complaint against neighbour when sell house though if resolved should not be an issue.
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/nuisance-smoke-how-councils-deal-with-complaints

@OneZanyCat theres no Facebook group and no WhatsApp.

Half the village is well past retirement age - 80s, the other is young farm workers who come and go for a year or two.

I've now figured out which house it is and im going over today.

DH is against me saying anything, I don't care anymore. DH opened the window when he came to bed and I've woken up with stinging eyes and wheezing. DH isn't bothered by it and thinks I'm making a fuss.

Because the embers have been dying down all night with the cold air and the breeze coming towards our house, our house absolutely stinks of cold fire.

They've had 4 fires since last weekend. Fecking ridiculous. 100% they are burning green wood too. It is so deeply unpleasant and I hate it.

I didn't go over yesterday, they looked like they were having a party all weekend with lots of cars. But I'm trying lunchtime and teatime today.

I'm so nervous. We are thinking of selling the house so I can't turn it into a dispute.

If you have a woodburner, you're being totally hypocritical and should shut up and put up.

The smoke and nuisance from wood burners may be as bad, but people don't light open fires and wood burners during the summer, when people are wanting to spend time outside and have their windows wide open, so the immediate effects on neighbours are not so bad.

She's also shooting herself in the foot if she has a woodburner. Even more so as she has asthma.

Where does the OP say she has a wood burner? I can't see that in her posts but may have missed it.