Fire crews attend more than ten controlled burns over Bonfire Night weekend

We are reminding people of some key bonfire safety messages after crews were called to more than ten controlled fires over Bonfire Night weekend.

Between Friday 7 November and Sunday 9 November, crews were called to a total of 12 controlled bonfires in Staffordshire.

Significantly, eight of these incidents took place between 5pm and 8pm on Saturday (8 November).

Head of Prevent, Protect and Partnerships, Ian Read, said: “We understand that people will want to have bonfires at this time of year but as this year’s statistics show, bonfires put a significant strain on resources, meaning that crews might not be available to attend more serious incidents.

“Thankfully, nobody was reported injured, but the outcome could have been very different.

“Most of these incidents were bonfires either getting out of control, or not being occupied and monitored correctly, so I would urge people to be responsible.

“By working together, we can keep communities and the environment safe.”

Our key bonfire night safety tips are:

• If you are having a bonfire discuss it with your neighbours beforehand.
• Don’t build a bonfire too far in advance of the day as it can encourage anti-social behaviour.
• Build the bonfire away from sheds, fences and trees.
• Check there are no cables (for example telephone wires) above the bonfire.
• Ensure there is a suitable barrier around the bonfire to keep spectators at least five metres away.
• Always check that no children or animals are hiding in the bonfire before lighting.
• Don’t burn aerosols, batteries, tyres, canisters or anything containing foam or paint - many produce toxic fumes and some containers may explode, causing injury.
• Don’t use petrol, paraffin, diesel, white spirit or methylated spirit to light the bonfire.
• Keep some buckets of water nearby in case of an emergency and to damp down after the event.

For more outdoor safety tips, visit Safety outside.