to have a bonfire in the garden?

[chickpea1982]

Just that really - is it ok to have a bonfire in my garden? When we were kids we used to have bonfires quite often, but I'm not sure if it's ok any more. I'm thinking that if we did it in the evening, when people will have brought their washing in, it's not really anti-social at all. I could even pop round to the nearest neighbours to warn them/ask if they have a problem with it, if necessary.

Thoughts?

anti social
don’t
unless you live quite isolated

Warning them would be kind. It also depends on how big your garden is, how populated the area around you us and how close the neighbours are.

Large garden in a village and you would probably be ok. Small garden on a terraced street, not so much.

My neighbour occasionally has a bonfire. I don’t mind as such but I would rather be told me in advance so I could move my cabriolet as I worry about the roof getting ash dropped on it and having burn marks.

Is it November 5th?
If yes, go ahead everyone expects this once a year, even if it is not great for people with bad chests.

If no, then no, you might also find you live in a smokeless zone, most residential areas are.

it’s one of the last sunny mild weekends until next spring

just let neighbours enjoy it

Why would you? It's smelly, dirty and potentially dangerous. If you just want a bit of a fire get a firepit.

What exactly do you mean by bonfire?
Lots of peoplehave fire pits or chimineras, with clean wood etc

Different to massive pile of household waste

Not today, please not today...

It's beautiful outside, windows open, washing out etc. I'd be really pissed off if I lived nr you

is this garden waste?
depends where you live
it does seem to be anti social nowadays

Garden bonfires: the rules - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Nah it's anti social now, sorry! Either send it to the tip, or wait till bonfire night.

Wait a few weeks longer.

I always burn things (in my incinerator bin) on a drizzly autumn or winter evening. You don’t get too cold or wet standing by the very hot incinerator bin, no one else is outside then, and never any complaints. It gets super hot in the bin so stuff burns quickly, even if slightly damp. Make a pile of stuff to burn this weekend and cover with a tarp for a few weeks.

Not okay at ALL.

Fire pit or chimenea - sure, loads of people do. A low smoke wood and as far back and out of the way of people's open windows and you'll be reet.

Pile of Amazon boxes and household crap burnt in the middle of the lawn? As someone with four family members in the fire service I feel obligated to say please don't.

Check your local council rules on what you can and burn and when

Have it in a fire pit

And crack on!

They aren't antisocial, they're a brilliant place to sit as a family or group of friends and chat with wine and nibbles and maybe even a few s'mores!

I wouldn’t as I don’t like them and we are considerate neighbours. They’re really anti-social unless you’re remote from other houses.

I love the smell of bonfires. No problem as far as I’m concerned. I would have it late afternoon/early evening.

Depends what you are burning. Bit of garden waste, shouldn't be an issue. Old sofa, not so much.

One of my neighbours burnt some green garden cuttings a few weeks ago, the smoke covered the entire village, it was extremely anti social in my opinion. Take waste to the tip instead.

They're anti social for the neighbours not enjoying the 'nibbles' though aren't they.....

Get up early in the morning and choose a day with no wind so the smoke will go straight up.

they are a nuisance, not against the law, according to my council's leaflet
and in fact the leaflet says you should warn your neighbours if you intend to have a bbq

This is me too.

Think it's a shame that fires have become verboten. I like the smell of wood smoke. Appreciate that others don't...but still find it a little sad.

My childhood saw many bonfires so it's an evocative smell. Luckily I live in a street with chilled out neighbours. There's a nice man over the road who teaches woodsman skills and often has a bonfire on the go. No one seems to mind.

I used to live near a bonfire pest. Total utter wanker.

Please dont. We live in a little terraced row of 7 houses, last weekend 3 doors down burned stuff all weekend long. We couldnt go out the garden, open the windows, hang out washing etc. It was awful.

@chickpea1982

Please don't during the day. We don't have many good drying / garden days left this year.

A person who lives nearby had one on Friday lunchtime - I had a full line of washing out which was nearly dry, it all stinks and needs washing again.

They lit it again yesterday morning, I had washing out, and again, it stinks, so I have had to wash it again today.

What was two loads of washing has turned into doing four loads.

Look on your council's website as each have their own rules, but all will probably say do not cause a nuisance to your neighbours.