Blazing a trail

If you have to light a bonfire, make it a clean one, says Bob, and take precautions to keep everyone safe…

- Bob Flowerdew

HALLOWEEN and November 5th are traditionally our bonfire nights, though oddly it’s often too windy and or too wet to light them. Unfortunately, in the past all sorts of unsuitable things got thrown on bonfires, such as sofas, tyres, toys and general rubbish. These burnt, but polluted the air and potentially even poisoned all around with nasties.

Now no one wants stinky black smoke any more, so most of us have cleaner bonfires. Even so, these are a large source of CO2 and micro particles, and really should be kept to a minimum. Anyway, much of the woody material might be better stacked in corners as wildlife piles.