In the past week Cumbria County Council's Fire & Rescue Service has attended four private bonfires to tackle blazes that have got out of control.
With people doing spring cleans and tidying up their gardens, spring can be a peak time for bonfires so the Fire & Rescue Service is asking people to take a few simple safety steps when building and lighting a bonfire. These include:
- Bonfires should be 18 metres from any buildings, sheds, trees, fences, overhead cables and car parking areas
- Only clean, dry timber should be burned
- Don't burn aerosols, batteries, bottles, foam-filled furniture, tins of paint or tyres
- Don't leave bonfires unattended
- Don't use petrol, paraffin, diesel, white spirit or methylated spirit - use firelighters instead
- Don't light the fire if it's windy in case burning embers blow away and start fires.
- Always check that no children or animals are hiding in the bonfire before lighting it.
Keep some buckets of water or hosepipe nearby in case of emergency and to damp down after the fire
- Always extinguish your bonfire once you have finished
- Bonfires built on publicly owned land without permission will be removed
- Inform neighbours if you plan to have a bonfire and make them aware the fire is under control
Rather than having bonfires to get rid of garden waste at this time of year, we would suggest people recycle rather than light bonfires.
If you are having a bonfire, you should let Cumbria Fire & Rescue Service know by contacting us on our freephone number 0800 358 4777 or speak with your local fire station.
Bonfires have the potential to quickly spread and get out of control if not built and lit properly so we urge anyone having a bonfire to follow these safety precautions.
Message Sent By: Valerie Ayre (Cumbria Fire & Rescue, Administrator, Cumbria)