Kitchen Garden Forum

Hi All,

Fires have become a hot topic on our allotment recently, a ban has been put in place because of a complaint from a nearby house.

I thought I would have a straw poll and find out what is and is not allowed on your allotments with regards to fires.

Thanks for your help

Regards

Tracie

Not banned, but not exactly encouraged.

I generally save it all up for an annual fire on bonfire night weekend when its hardly noticable.

Afternoon Tracie, we have a communial bonfire at the top end of our allotments. We wait until we have a westerly wind, and then the smoke just blows over the fields.

I expect the ban has been put in place because of one person's carelessness. There's no ban around here, and everyone seems to be diligent and considerate about lighting up. I have one only once or twice a year, late in the autumn at dusk. It's a nice autumn evening occupation, and at a time when it's unlikely anyone's going to have washing on the line or have a window open. Who remembers stubble burning? Everyone's washing suffered. It would be unthinkable for this nowadays.

I had a fire today - the only rule is wind direction so it does not go across the road. Mine started with the smoke going across the field behind but finished with my neighbour telling me it was a shame I didn't work on a Sunday! Whoops The wet finger has never failed before!

Westi

With houses on 2 sides of our allotment we are restricted to certain times during the winter months and none in the summer, but I think it just needs common sense to be aware of the wind direction and neighbouring property.

Beryl.

The problem with garden fires is that so often people try to burn stuff which is still damp and green. They are surprised when the bonfire just produces masses of smoke. A well made bonfire of dry material will go up quickly and soon burn away to nothing.

John

We are allowed bonfires with the proviso that the wind is very light and in a favourable direction. My plot is fairly close to houses so I always try to pick a calm day midweek but others are not always so considerate. We have a colony website with a guest book and local residents can draw attention to specific infringements which seems to have some effect. I also only burn stuff which is tinder dry and takes very little time to dispose of - my last effort was quite scary in it's intensity! Lots of buckets of water to hand.

We had a new next but one neighbour last year who has been burning all sorts of rubbish during the year. One Sunday we complained to him that we could not work on our allotment if he continued burning his fire that day as it was, to us, toxic. He put it out temporarily but when he left he lit it again. Not nice at all. At the moment there are no restrictions in place.

We are allowed to have fires and there are no rulings about this at the moment. On the website it states:
Bonfires should only be lit when absolutely necessary and then in such a way as not to cause annoyance or danger to other plot holders, nearby residents or their properties. Only dry, garden material should be burned. Bonfires should never be left unattended.

We have houses adjoining our site along one border so we try to avoid having a fire when the wind is blowing towards the houses.

Some people are inconsiderate when having a fire though. I have had to garden whilst being choked with smoke from a neighbouring bonfire. I suffer from sore eyes and a bad throat for a couple of days afterwards. Also from smells of some bonfires people seem to bring household waste to burn too!

In our 'Book o' Rules', it says bonfires are allowed, but be courtious to the neighbours and consider the wind strength and direction. Cheers, Tony.

b
We are not allowed any fires this past 12 years, a hefty fine for the allotments if one is lit, one plot holder used to bring old tyres down and burn them which caused alot of smoke, we have the motorway on one side which could cause an accidient and a canal on the other with some houses close by.

Bren

Bonfires are frowned upon here, which is a shame. There is a place for them in good practice.
As far as I am concerned barbeques are equally objectionable for much the same reasons. If I tolerate other peoples barbeques then they can tolerate a bonfire/incinerator.