Whilst many people have the occasional bonfire to dispose of garden rubbish, repeated bonfires or burning items which give off noxious fumes can be a nuisance.

Whilst Havering Council discourage bonfires, they are not banned. However, they give the following advice –

  • Only garden waste should be burnt – definitely no household rubbish
  • You should have no more than two bonfires per year
  • All material burnt should be dry to avoid any unnecessary smoke
  • Fires must be small scale and preferably within a small garden incinerator
  • There are no set times when you can or can’t have a bonfire. However, consideration should be shown to your neighbours and, where possible, they should be given suitable prior warning
  • In general the Council recommends that bonfires should be of a short duration and preferably one hour after sunset, to minimise the impact on neighbours

If fires are being held frequently, this can be classed as a statutory nuisance. If this happens, you can download a Nuisance Information Pack via the Havering website.