How to Stay Safe on Bonfire Night If You’re Having a Bonfire at Home

Fri, Nov 03, 2023 15:34 CET

With bonfire night coming up, there are some things that you should keep in mind. Safety is extremely important on bonfire night to prevent any potential injuries from occurring. The celebrations for bonfire night should remain fun and safe at all times. So, how do you make sure you can remain safe at this time?

A bonfire with text overlay

Description automatically generated

The experts at MyJobQuote.co.uk have created this guide on how to stay safe on bonfire night. Here, you will find all of the key steps needed to ensure you and your loved ones remain safe. The following advice is helpful for those hosting a bonfire night party or creating an actual bonfire. Take a look at the advice below.

Planning a Bonfire Night Properly

If you are planning on hosting a party or creating your own bonfire this year, there are several things that you’ll need to consider and keep in mind when planning. Below are some tips for planning your bonfire night activities:

Always make sure you are building a bonfire that is completely stable and constructed carefully.
Let your neighbours know you’re planning on having a bonfire.
Use the correct items on the bonfire.
Make sure the bonfire is far away from any wildlife, trees, and structures to prevent the fire from being able to spread.
Keep the direction of the wind in mind on the night of the bonfire to prevent the fire from blowing and spreading to nearby wildlife or structures.
Ensure the bonfire is not a nuisance to anyone else, including your neighbours.
Keep a lookout for any nearby cables, and avoid setting up a bonfire underneath these.
It’s also important to set up a barrier around the bonfire to keep everyone safe. The barrier must be at least five metres around the bonfire.

How to Stay Safe at a Bonfire

Avoid lighting a bonfire with paraffin, petrol, diesel, white spirit, or methylated spirit. You also can't use any of these to enhance the fire as it could be dangerous and could cause the fire to get out of control.
Have buckets of water or large quantities of water available nearby so that you can easily put the fire out if it gets out of control.
Avoid using any canisters, batteries, aerosols, or anything with foam or paint on the bonfire. Also, avoid using any wood that is treated or painted.
If you start to notice smoke heading towards nearby households, be ready to dampen the bonfire. This can occur if the wind changes direction.
Monito your bonfire throughout the entire process from start to finish. Keep a lookout at the strength and direction of the smoke to make sure it’s not an issue for people living nearby or for nearby wildlife.

How Do You Put Out a Bonfire?

When the night is over, it’s important that you completely put the bonfire out before retreating inside your home. Take the following steps to put out your bonfire properly:

Spray the bonfire thoroughly with water to begin putting it out. Wait until the bonfire has cooled down enough before leaving it. Make sure the bonfire can’t relight at all from any hot embers that remain. You will need to visually inspect the area and use your common sense to ensure the fire can’t possibly relight itself.
You should then rake the ashes into nearby soil and carefully dispose of all of the cooled-down materials. Use gloves to transport the materials for disposal, and wash your hands properly after you've moved everything.

Safety Tips When Using Fireworks at Home

There are some things you need to keep in mind if you are planning on lighting fireworks at your home. Take a look at the safety tips below if you are planning on launching some fireworks in your garden this year:

You should only ever use legal fireworks that have been purchased from a reputable supplier. In the UK, fireworks must be UKCA-marked or CE-marked. Alternatively, the fireworks should come with specific documents with these markings if they don't have the markings on them directly.
Make sure you read all of the manufacturer’s instructions very carefully and follow the instructions to a T.
All fireworks must be suitable for being launched in the space and conditions that you have at home.
Avoid lighting any naked flames close to the fireworks.
Be sure to always point the fireworks in a safe and appropriate direction before lighting them.

Final Safety Tips For Bonfire Night

As mentioned, bonfire night should be a fun and safe experience. As long as you follow these safety tips and you always follow guidelines and manufacturer instructions, you should have no problems.

Using common sense is very important in ensuring you and your family remain safe. Keep children and pets away from open flames and fireworks. Always keep a barrier between the people and the fire, and never get too close to lit fireworks. When lighting fireworks, always step back and leave a safe distance before the fireworks launch.

There are so many fun things that you can do on bonfire night. If you are planning on having a bonfire party, take a look at this article by MyJobQuote. In this article, you will find a range of bonfire night treat ideas as well as some additional safety tips to ensure you and your family remain safe throughout the bonfire celebrations.

MyJobQuote is one of the UK's top trades matching sites that help individuals find a reputable tradesperson in their local area.

MyJobQuote also has a wide range of experts with extensive knowledge in interior design, cleaning, gardening, property, construction and more. MyJobQuote's experts have been featured in over 700 publications, including Woman and Home, The Times, House Beautiful, BBC News and more.

For more information on MyJobQuote's release or comment requests, please email the PR team at ContentTeam@ICMEnterprises.co.uk.