Put safety first at bonfires

The Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS) is appealing to the public to think ‘safety first’ when attending bonfires. If bonfires are not built as safely as possible and properly supervised, they can easily get out of control.

Act responsibly

NIFRS is urging people to act responsibly and be safe around bonfires by using the following advice:

• keep the bonfire to a manageable size
• site the bonfire in a clear, open space, well away from houses, garages, sheds, fences, overhead cables, trees and shrubs
• as a guide the distance from the bonfire to the nearest property should be five times the height of the bonfire
• build the stack so that it is stable and will not collapse
• do not burn tyres (the burning of tyres releases toxic fumes, which are harmful to the environment and also cause hazardous health conditions for those attending or living close to the bonfire)
• do not burn foam-filled furniture, aerosols, tins of paint or bottles
• never use flammable liquids, such as petrol or paraffin, as these can produce explosive vapours – use domestic firelighters
• keep everyone away from the fire – especially children, who must be supervised at all times
• never build a hut or den inside the bonfire
• responsible adults should look after lighting the bonfire, and before lighting the fire, check that no children or pets are hiding inside it
• for an emergency keep buckets of water, a garden hose or a fire extinguisher ready

You can find information on the bonfire safety page.

If your bonfire gets out of control, call 999 immediately and ask for the Fire and Rescue Service.

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