Fireworks party organisers are urged to scrap garden bonfires on safety grounds

Garden bonfires have the potential to spread out of control and risk the safety of your family and the public at large.

Organised celebrations for Bonfire Night have been scrapped to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

Kevin Page, group fire preventions manager at Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service, said: “This year with organised events being cancelled we are concerned that more people will turn to their own gardens to host a bonfire party.

“A garden bonfire can easily get out of hand with fire spreading quickly from hedges, overhanging trees and garages to the house. Not only do these fires pose a serious risk to you, your family, your property and the public, but out of control bonfires take our crews away from other potentially life-threatening incidents.

“By calling on people not to have a bonfire we are not aiming to spoil people’s fun, we are simply aware of what can and does go wrong and this year there is the potential for more garden fires than ever – so we are trying to keep everyone safe.

"In addition to fire safety concerns around bonfires in gardens, the service is also reminding people of the current guidance on the limit of people allowed to meet.”

Chief Insp Emlyn Richards, of Derbyshire Police, said: “We’d like to remind the public that current legislation to prevent the spread of coronavirus states that there are limits on the numbers allowed for social gatherings. This varies depending on the C ovid alert level for your area.”

To find out the current restrictions locally, visit www.gov.uk/guidance/local-covid-alert-levels-what-you-need-to-know.

Residents are reminded of the laws governing fireworks.

Anyone who sells or uses fireworks illegally can be fined up to £5,000 and imprisoned for up to six months.

Fireworks must not be sold to anyone under 18 years. They can only be bought from registered sellers for private use from October 5 to November 10, December 26 to 31 and three days before Diwali and Chinese New Year.

It is illegal to set off or throw fireworks in streets or public places.

Fireworks must not be let off between 11pm and 7pm except for Bonfire Night when the cut-off is midnight, New Year’s Eve, Diwali or Chinese New Year when the cut-off is 1am.