My neighbour has built a bonfire in the garden

[Alexindisguise]

Presumably to be lit tonight. It's big, about 10ft away from the back of our semi detached houses.

Aibu to be alarmed and think no one in their right mind would do this?

They've only lived here a few weeks, so don't know them at all.

Other than be on standby with a hose pipe tonight, anything we can do?

Lots of fire extinguishers on standby if you don't want to rock up to their front door with a plate of brownies to have a coffee and get to know them and midway into your coffee - "wow, what a enormous bonfire, sure you've assessed all the risk and have hoses nearby in case the wind changes directions?"

When we first got our recycling bins our next door neighbours filled them with mixed rubbish, so the binmen wouldn't empty them. The neighbours then tipped them out in the back garden a few feet from our wooden garage and set fire to it. The garage was scorched, but fortunately didn't set on fire. However it was under their washing line and that was burned.

My thoughts precisely. I have mentioned elsewhere I cannot understand why we do this considering it is celebrating attempted murder/terrorism. Why don't we celebrate the Brighton bombing (attempt to kill government) or any of the other bombings

You've got it all wrong.
The celebration is about catching the plotters and executing them. The plan never succeeded, hence the celebrations.

We always had a bonfire in the back garden when I was a child. Many people did the same. It made a right mess of the garden and I don't think it's a good idea unless the garden is huge.
I don't know anyone who does it today. We also made a Guy and went round the houses asking for 'penny for the guy'. Sometimes we sat outside shops with the guy....basically street begging...but it was fun.
Not seen that for years either.

On Sat I returned home to see glowing embers on my access pathway. My neighbour below, who shares a common entranceway and outside area, had burnt a bonfire about 2 feet away from my wooden access stairs, which he has surrounded with wood, old tyres and rubbish. The fire was over a diesel patch from his motorbikes which he keeps on the hardstanding next to where the fire was. The fire brigade showed no interest when I asked them before if all the wood etc stored beside the house was dangerous. But I find it quite scary - as is my neighbour.

My friend is right, you could set up a sketch show based on some AIBU posts.

For those going why celebrate something so heinous, you should try living in NI in July, then you'll see what a troublesome bonfire looks like. They take ages to build and are taller than houses, made out of tyres and pallets - so you can imagine the stench. The fire service are well aware of them, quite often they topple over, melt the tarmac, the list is endless.

I saw the first picture, it looks relatively small. He did at least move it further back. The last picture doesn't really show anything concerning either.

You could go out and 'celebrate' with your neighbours if this is going to be an annual thing. Get the BBQ on and some beers, join in the festivities.

Um, ok.