Stroud District Council has issued the following advice on garden fires during the Coronavirus Pandemic:
Bonfire smoke may cause particular problems for people with underlying health conditions such as asthma, bronchitis and heart conditions. We all now know that Covid-19 is a respiratory disease. During the pandemic, more people than normal are at home, working, caring for their family and/or self-isolating. People in your area may already be suffering breathing difficulties due to the virus.
People with underlying health conditions have been advised to self-isolate in their homes for 12 weeks. They need to go into their gardens for fresh air and they need to be able to open their windows for ventilation; they have nowhere else to go.
Breathing difficulties could be worsened due to bonfire smoke inhalation and place a further burden on the NHS. Therefore, during these difficult times we would ask all residents to cooperate in protecting everyone’s health by not lighting bonfires during the Government’s lockdown period.
We understand that you may be tempted to dispose of additional garden waste by having a bonfire. As the lockdown throws up new challenges for us all, we ask everyone to be a good neighbour and to not burn any of this waste.
Thank you for your cooperation in doing all you can to protect the health of your family and that of your neighbours, many of whom may be more vulnerable to the effects of bonfire smoke than ever before and who are presently restricted to their homes.
Any garden waste can be composted or it can simply wait – store it for now until the current emergency is over and do not burn it.
