Wood burning and smoke control areas

Burning wood and other solid fuels in the home is a major source of particulate matter pollution.

If you have or are planning on purchasing an open fire or stove, or use bonfires, please follow the rules and guidance below.

Burning in the home

Wood burning emits harmful particulate air pollution into your home and neighbourhood. Breathing in particulate matter pollution negatively impacts the health of your family and community, affecting your lungs and heart.

Can you burn less, burn cleaner, burn better and burn different?

Burn less

Reduce burning where possible. Keep stoves and fires for particularly cold weather unless they are your only heating source.

We know that there are households in Hampshire that burn wood to keep warm, and it is also important for your health and wellbeing to stay warm and well.

Burn cleaner

Burn cleaner fuels such as smokeless, authorised fuels or dry, well-seasoned wood with low moisture content.

Burn better

Use efficient appliances, do not shut off air or allow the temperature to drop, and service and clean them regularly.

Burn different

If possible, switch to a lower emitting heating source, like radiators.

More wood burning advice

For more information and advice on wood burning, visit the Environment Centre or contact cleanair@environmentcentre.com.

This awareness campaign is to help residents improve air quality for their health, their community, and the environment, delivered in partnership with:

• Eastleigh Borough Council
• New Forest District Council
• Winchester City Council
• The Environment Centre (tEC) charity 

Do you burn wood in your home?

Wood burning causes harmful particulate air pollution. Air pollution negatively impacts the health of your family and community.

Can you burn less, burn cleaner, burn better?

Smoke Control Areas

In a smoke control area, it is an offence to emit smoke from a chimney of a building, (commercial or residential), from a furnace, or from any fixed boiler.

It is also an offence to acquire an “unauthorised fuel” for use within a smoke control area unless it is used in an “exempt” appliance. In other words, exempted from the controls which generally apply in the smoke control area.

The current maximum level of fine is £1,000 for each offence.

To find out if you live in a smoke control area, see the  smoke control zone map.

For more information on what fuels are authorised and what appliances are exempt, please visit smoke control areas: the rules.

Bonfire and barbeques

Bonfires and barbecues are also a key source of particulate matter. They can also cause nuisance to your neighbours, discouraging residents from being outside, opening windows, or drying clothes.

For these reasons, we advise against having a bonfire. For alternative methods of safely disposing of your waste, please see our A-Z of recycling.

If you do have a bonfire, try to avoid burning at weekends and on bank holidays. Make sure you only burn dry material and do not leave a fire unattended or smouldering. 

The council can take action if the smoke can be classified as a statutory nuisance. To be a statutory nuisance, the smoke must:

• Unreasonably and substantially interfere with the use or enjoyment of a home or other premises
• Injure health or be likely to injure health

To determine whether smoke is causing a statutory nuisance, we will consider:

• The amount of smoke
• How often it happens and for how long
• How unreasonable the activity is

If the smoke is drifting across a road and endangering traffic, please contact the police.

If we consider smoke from bonfires or barbecues a nuisance, we can serve a statutory notice to prevent it happening. Failure to comply with this can result in a conviction at a magistrates' court. This could mean a fine of up to £5,000 and an additional £500 for each day the offence continues after conviction.

If you do have a bonfire, please:

• Follow Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service's bonfire safety advice
• Be aware of the impacts of air pollution
• Be considerate to neighbours, your community, and wildlife

Only burn dry, untreated wood, and no other household or garden waste. Avoid burning firelighters, oil, rubber, plastics, or any wood with varnish, paint, or creosote.

Smoke control relating to industrial premises

It is an offence, with some exemptions, to emit dark smoke from industrial or trade premises. This includes any premises used for a trade, such as domestic premises where work is being undertaken.

An offence under this section of the act may result in a fine not exceeding £20,000.

Burning commercial waste

Businesses should not burn any commercial waste, not even cardboard. You have an obligation to dispose of waste in a legal manner, which does not include burning.

If you believe a fire is dangerous, please call the Fire and Rescue Service immediately on 999.

Reporting a smoke nuisance

If you are suffering from a smoke nuisance, we encourage you to speak to the person or business creating the problem. If this is unsuccessful, we may be able to help. To report smoke nuisance, please visit report a neighbourhood nuisance.

 We are unlikely to deal with a one-off situation in a formal way unless the nuisance is particularly significant or is affecting a large number of households.