Bonfires and smoke
You can have a bonfire in your garden as long as it’s not causing a problem for your neighbours. There are no smoke-free zones in the South Norfolk and Broadland areas.
Tips to avoid causing problems:
- only burn dry wood (wet wood gives off more smoke)
- never burn household rubbish or rubber tyres, or use oil to light the fire
- check to make sure your neighbours haven't hung washing outside
- avoid lighting a bonfire on damp days (smoke is more likely to hang in the air)
- be careful of wind direction - make sure smoke isn’t blowing over other people’s property
- avoid having a bonfire on a weekend or bank holiday when people want to enjoy their gardens
- never leave a fire unattended or leave it to smoulder - douse it with water if necessary
If you are affected by smoke from a bonfire
Your neighbour might not know their bonfire is affecting you so you should speak to them first to let them know. We are unable to take action for one-off bonfires, however if the problem is regular you can report it to us using the links below.
Report a smoke problem if you live in Broadland or South NorfolkBonfires are not illegal, but we strongly discourage them and we may act if smoke causes a statutory nuisance.
There are no specific time restrictions in UK law, but councils advise being considerate of neighbours.
Only dry garden waste should be burned. Burning household waste is illegal if it causes pollution or harms health.
Yes, we can investigate complaints and can issue an abatement notice if we evidence that a bonfire is causing a nuisance.
They can be fined, often up to £5,000 for domestic bonfires.
We must consider factors such as the size of the fire, what is being burned, smell, the weather and how the smoke is affecting neighbours.
Yes, if the smoke causes a danger to moving traffic.
We recommend composting, garden waste collections, using shredders and mulching or you can take the waste to the household recycling centres.
We will investigate smoke from commercial or industrial sites under the Environmental Protection Act 1990.
If you are affected by cannabis odour and smoke
If cannabis odour from a nearby property is affecting you, and you are not able to resolve the matter informally, you can report it to us online if it meets this threshold:
a) The odour is of a persistent nature (i.e. happening regularly).
b) The odour is having a detrimental effect on you or your family’s quality of life.
c) You are willing to assist the investigation of your complaint by being prepared to provide monitoring forms and if enforcement action is to be taken, to support that action by providing the appropriate witness statement and attend Court, if necessary.
Please note that we are unable to deal with complaints regarding cannabis smoking in public areas.
Report cannabis odour or smoke here