South Gloucestershire Council

There are various regulations controlling the burning of heather, grass and crop residues.

They are;

• The Crop Residues (Burning) Regulations of 1993
• The Heather and Grass (Burning) Regulations of 1986
• The Highways Act of 1980 (as amended in 1986)
• The Clean Air Act of 1993
• The Environmental Protection Act of 1990
• The Health and Safety at Work Act of 1974
• The Wildlife and Countryside Act of 1981

These regulations are lengthy and most farmers and landowners are aware of their responsibilities, so the following is just a brief summary;

• burning is only allowed between 1 November and 31 March in lowland areas and 1st October and 15th April in upland areas. At other times, you can get a licence only in very specific circumstances
• you must give not less than one day or more than seven days of written notice to neighbours, owners and occupiers of the land
• you must not start burning between sunset and sunrise
• you must ensure that sufficient people and equipment are on hand to control the fire
• you must take all reasonable precautions to prevent injury or damage to people and animals
• you must follow special arrangements and plan well in advance if burning on a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI)
• you must not cause a nuisance through the creation of smoke
• you must not create dark smoke