Bonfire Night to New Year: fire safety around a garden bar

Checked 10 November 2026, the week after Bonfire Night, with New Year's Eve the next big date for fireworks. Between now and January a garden bar is more likely to sit near open flame than at any other time of year: fire pits, chimineas, sparklers and the odd rocket, all a few metres from a timber building full of bottles and fabric.

The GOV.UK fireworks rules worth knowing

GOV.UK sets out the law on fireworks. The headline points for a home party:

• Fireworks must not be set off between 11pm and 7am, except on certain nights.
• On New Year's Eve, as well as Diwali and Chinese New Year, the cut-off is extended to 1am. On Bonfire Night it is midnight.
• Adult fireworks can only be bought by people aged 18 or over, and there are rules on who can sell them and when.

Read the GOV.UK page for the detail before buying anything for New Year's Eve, and follow the safety instructions printed on each firework.

Fireworks and timber buildings

A garden bar is dry timber, felt and often fabric. Treat it like something that can catch.

• Launch fireworks well away from the bar, sheds, fences and trees, following the minimum distances on the box.
• Point rockets and aerial shots away from roofs, and remember the wind can carry sparks and spent casings.
• Close the bar door and windows during the display.
• Afterwards, check the roof and gutters for debris and any smouldering.
• Soak spent fireworks in a bucket of water before binning them.

Our fire safety guide covers distances between outbuildings and boundaries and why building regulations care about them.

Sparklers

Sparklers burn very hot. Hand them out one at a time, keep them away from faces and clothing, wear gloves, and drop the finished wire straight into a bucket of water or sand. Do not let them near tinsel, cushions or the bar door. Never give them to anyone too young to understand the instructions on the pack.

Fire pits and chimineas

• Place them on a stable, non-combustible surface, well clear of the bar, fences, overhanging branches and the festoon run.
• Never use one inside the bar, under a roof overhang or in a gazebo. Burning fuel in an enclosed space risks fire and carbon monoxide; GOV.UK and HSE both explain the danger.
• Use the fuel the maker specifies, and never use petrol or other accelerants to light it.
• Keep a bucket of water, sand or a suitable extinguisher nearby.
• Keep children and pets back, and make sure someone sober is in charge of the fire.

See garden bar heating for the difference between heaters designed for enclosed spaces and those that are not.

Ash disposal: the part people forget

Embers stay hot for a long time after a fire looks out. Let ash cool completely, ideally until the next day, then move it in a metal bucket with a lid. Never put warm ash in a plastic bin, a compost heap or a bag left beside the bar. Pour water over it if you are unsure. GOV.UK's fire safety in the home guidance covers putting fires out properly and having a plan if one starts.

The night itself

• Check the smoke alarm in the bar, if fitted, and keep the door route clear.
• Use LED candles indoors.
• Keep a torch handy for checking the garden afterwards.
• Do a last walk-round before bed to make sure nothing is still glowing.

For general hosting, including getting everyone home, see hosting safely. Before New Year's Eve, put a metal bucket with a lid and a bag of sand by the back door, so they are there when the first sparkler goes out.