Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

My neighbour has built a bonfire in the garden

234 replies

Alexindisguise · 05/11/2017 10:25

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?

OP posts:
Thread gallery
5
ElsieMay123 · 05/11/2017 11:19

Looks like the rules are pretty lax, so it's more down to common sense and courtesy. If there isn't so much space can they start with a small fire and just keep adding bits, that way it should be more controllable? For reference we had a wood fire last night at about 6ft high, 5ft diameter and sitting 10ft away the heat was pleasant not excessive.

www.gov.uk/garden-bonfires-rules

TwentyChews · 05/11/2017 11:20

We have a big garden and often need to burn garden (dried out) waste. Once the fire gets going it gets really fucking hot. I mean really hot. As in you have to stand 10-12 feet away at least to prevent your face being burnt. We also wear out gardening clothes as sparks fly and land/burn mini holes in stuff.

If it really is 10 feet away (length of a standard modern bedroom) then they are nuts.

stealtheatingtunnocks · 05/11/2017 11:20

Brilliant.

Dob them in.

Idiots.

Original poster
Alexindisguise · 05/11/2017 11:22

My other neighbour has been in touch this morning worried about it. I've just rang the local fire station but it was an answerphone saying they only pick up mon-Fri.

Definitely 10 feet away, about 5ft tall but he's out there saying wood at the moment.

We're going over in a bit.

OP posts:
Original poster
Alexindisguise · 05/11/2017 11:23

*sawing

OP posts:
raisinsarenottheonlyfruit · 05/11/2017 11:23

First time I met my new neighbours it was to complain aboit their DIY next to the DC's bedroom at 10pm.

But I also took a card the DC made saying welcome to your new home and was really nice about it ao there was no bad feeling.

honeyroar · 05/11/2017 11:26

Is it really 10' away? The average living room in a terraced house is longer than that. If so it's very out of order if it's anything more than a bonfire about 2' tall (couple of pallets or a few planks).

Id try the friendly approach, go round and say it's too close to your house. If not I'd definitely be contacting a local fire station for advice.

People really should use their brains. If you haven't got a large plot of land or a farm it's not sensible to have a bonfire. And even then it's only right to let people know. Our nearest neighbours are about half a mile away but we still let them know we're having a bonfire so their animals aren't startled by fireworks.

roundturnandtwohalfhitches · 05/11/2017 11:26

People are idiots. They've no idea about the heat or spread of fires and then they light a big one, once a year in their garden. That's why our fire engine is called out up to 40 times a day in the period around Bonfire night. And if they knew how much the Fire Service has been cutback they're even stupider because there might not be a fire engine to come and put their burning house out.

DancesWithOtters · 05/11/2017 11:27

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

LurkingHusband · 05/11/2017 11:27

Hopefully no thatched houses too near ?

honeyroar · 05/11/2017 11:30

If it's a few sawn down tree branches that are about 5' I wouldn't be so worried - they will burn away very quickly. Thick tree trunks or a 5' pile of stacked wood will burn stronger and longer, so will be more worrying.

If you can't get advice from the fire station (can't believe there not answering today of all days!) perhaps try the non emergency police number?

walnutwhip88 · 05/11/2017 11:31

YANBU he should have asked you first before doing this

Original poster
Alexindisguise · 05/11/2017 11:35

It looks like its mostly pallets and furniture .

No thatched houses nearby.

OP posts:
WorraLiberty · 05/11/2017 11:40

If it's really only 10 ft away and he refuses to move it, dial 101 and ask for advice.

WorraLiberty · 05/11/2017 11:42

There was an awful house fire a few streets away a couple of months ago.

That was started by the house next door having a bonfire. The breeze picked up and blew the flames towards the conservatory of the house next door. That then quickly spread to the kitchen and the whole house was badly damaged.

Johnbuoy · 05/11/2017 11:43

Take the neighbour on the other side with you

FeelingAggrieved · 05/11/2017 11:48

Last time someone I know did this close to a house the fire brigade came out and put it out and said it could damage the brickwork, structure etc and cause a collapse (or something like that!)

ItsNachoCheese · 05/11/2017 11:50

Thats far too close to have the fire. A house over the back of my street had a bonfire and it destroyed the bt pole at the bottom of the garden

Original poster
Alexindisguise · 05/11/2017 11:51

Dh went round, didn't go well and he doesn't see what the problem is Confused.

OP posts:
YouTheCat · 05/11/2017 11:54

Get the hose ready or pray for a downpour then.

BewareOfDragons · 05/11/2017 11:55

Yikes! That sounds completely bonkers. If the council and fire department aren't answering phones, I would call the police.

A neighbour's garage caught fire a few years back, and it was completely destroyed, as it took 20 minutes for the fire department to get to it! (I called pretty darn quickly after it started!) It is 'only' 20 feet away from our house and another neighbour's house at the bottom of our gardens, and it was very frightening. The wind meant our homes filled up with smoke and if the fire department had been any later, it would have travelled down the fence to within 4 feet of our homes.

I would definitely call the police if your neighbour plans to go ahead with this insanity.

Marcipex · 05/11/2017 11:56

If the fire brigade aren't around, could you get the police to have a friendly word?
Your neighbour must be nuts.

hamburgler · 05/11/2017 11:58

I know this isn't the point but please please check any bonfires for hedgehogs before lighting them, or ask the neighbour to do so if at all possible. There are free thermal imaging apps that can help.

Marcipex · 05/11/2017 11:58

And yes, get a hose ready.

DoloresKeane · 05/11/2017 12:00

We had a neighbor light a bonfire next to our garden. Even though there was a high wall dividing the gardens , a massive amount of sparks fell on our roof and we had to insist they put the fire out. They did so without any hassle but they hosed it out and the resulting steam and smoke was horrendous and it all came into our house. It took ages for us to air our house and clean the sooty dust left everywhere. It was awful.