Ten rules from Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue for home fireworks and bonfires, plus the legal curfew times and where to report illegal firework sellers.
Sparklers burn at up to 100°C, and Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service wants anyone planning a back-garden display this year to treat them that way: gloves on, preferably leather, and no sparkler at all for a child under five.
That is one of ten rules the service has issued ahead of Bonfire Night. Its first advice is not to hold a home display at all. “The Service would always recommend going to an official display as it is safer,” it said, “but if you are having a display at home then here are ten simple safety measures you should follow.”
The ten rules
- Read the instructions properly. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions carefully, and read them in daylight or by torchlight, never by a naked flame.
- Never go back to a lit firework. And never throw a firework or put one in your pocket.
- Light at arm’s length. Use a safety firework lighter or a fuse wick, then stand well back. Collect fireworks after the display with care.
- Douse and bin them safely. Soak spent fireworks with water and put them in a metal container.
- Wear gloves with sparklers. They can reach 100°C; leather gloves are best.
- Watch children with sparklers. No sparklers for under-fives. Hold them at arm’s length, don’t wave them near other people, and put used ones in a bucket of sand or water.
- Site the bonfire well away from everything. That means houses, garages, sheds, fences, overhead cables, trees and shrubs. The service points out that bonfires are a hazard at any time of year.
- No petrol, no paraffin. Never use flammable liquids to light a fire, and don’t burn furniture, aerosols or bottles.
- Never leave a bonfire alone, especially around children. Pour water on the embers before you leave it.
- Have water ready and stay sober. Keep a bucket of water, a garden hose or a fire extinguisher on standby, and never drink alcohol when you are in charge of a bonfire or a fireworks display.
“Put nearby properties at risk”
Lisa Bryan, Head of Prevention at Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service, said the concern is the neighbours’ homes as well as the people in the garden.
“We know how popular fireworks are at this time of year, and we want to make sure that everyone can enjoy them in a safe and responsible manner,” she said.
“We would always recommend going to an official firework display, but if people do want to hold home displays, then please take every precaution possible to make sure there is no risk.
“If not held properly, home displays have the potential not just to injure people but also put nearby properties at risk of fire.
“So please follow the safety advice from the Fire Service and make sure that you purchase any fireworks from a reputable source.”
The full leaflet, Stay Safe With The Sparks, is on the fire service’s website as a PDF.
Buying fireworks: what Trading Standards says
“A reputable source” has a specific meaning. West Northamptonshire Council’s Trading Standards team warned on 21 October against cheap fireworks “from the back of a van, a market stall, or on social media”.
According to the council:
- All fireworks sold in the UK must carry the CE or UKCA mark and come with English labelling and instructions. Fireworks carrying the China Export mark do not meet European safety standards.
- The fireworks typically sold for private displays can only be bought by people aged 18 and over.
- The most powerful, Category F4, fireworks are for professionals only.
- It is illegal to set off or throw fireworks, sparklers included, in the street or any other public place.
Cllr Andrew Last, the council’s Cabinet Member for HR, Corporate Services and Regulatory Services, said: “Illegal or unsafe fireworks can cause serious injuries and put people, pets and property at risk. Our Trading Standards officers are carrying out checks across the county to protect consumers, and we urge anyone who suspects illegal sales to report them.”
Suspected illegal fireworks or sellers can be reported to Trading Standards through the Citizens Advice consumer service on 0808 223 1133.
What time fireworks have to stop
Fireworks must not be set off between 11pm and 7am, the council says, except on Bonfire Night, when the cut-off is midnight, and on Diwali, New Year’s Eve and Chinese New Year, when it is 1am.
What it means for you
The fire service’s first choice is an organised display, and there are free ones in West Northamptonshire this year:
- Northampton: the Racecourse display on Sunday 1 November, fireworks at 6pm.
- Daventry: Parker E-ACT Academy on Saturday 31 October, gates 6pm.
- Brackley: Saturday 31 October at 7pm, no tickets needed.
If you are doing it at home, the short version of the ten rules: buy from a licensed shop, light at arm’s length and never go back, gloves for sparklers and none for under-fives, the bonfire well clear of buildings and trees with no petrol, a bucket of water or hose ready, and no drinking while you are in charge. Finish before 11pm on an ordinary night, or midnight on 5 November.
Have your say