Bonfire Night
Wednesday 4 November 2009
Remember, remember the 5th of November – and don’t forget to stay safe as well.
Bonfire Night
Bonfire Night is a 400 year old tradition that marks a day when King James I was saved from being blown up in the Houses of Parliament. In 1605 13 men, including one you may have heard of, Guy Fawkes, plotted the death of the king because they were unhappy over how English Catholics were being treated at the time. Relive the history here.
Since then, people have been lighting bonfires and setting off fireworks in their back gardens and local parks. The tradition has even reached New Zealand and Canada.
The law
Bonfire Night can be really fun, especially if you get to set off some of the fireworks yourself. However, fireworks can also be quite dangerous if you’re not careful.
If you’re planning to set off your own fireworks rather than watch a display then there are a few things you need to remember. First of all, there are some restrictions if you’re under 18. You aren’t allowed to buy types that are only made for adults and you can’t set them off in public places either.
If you do then you could face an on the spot fine of £80, a further fine of up to £5,000, plus jail time!
Unfortunately, you’ll have to say goodbye to your fireworks at midnight on Bonfire Night. Even fireworks have a curfew.
Fireworks safety
You should only ever buy fireworks from reputable places – so this leaves out dodgy market stalls and people selling items from the boot of their car. You can trust fireworks that are marked with the BS 7114 label. This means that they meet the British Standard and are safe. No label, no fireworks.
Remember, always read the label before lighting up any fireworks. You may need to set up supports and launchers and the instructions should tell you how to do this as well.
Make sure there’s only one person lighting the fireworks at a time. Over-crowding can be really dangerous, especially if the fireworks spirals in a different direction other than up!
Sparkling safety
Sparklers aren’t as harmless as they look. You should still be careful! Always wear gloves and never hold them too close to your face. Never play around with sparklers that look like they’ve lost spark – always plunge them in water or sand to be double sure.
Check list
Think you’ve got everything you need? Before you start the night off with a bang, make sure you have all necessary equipment ready. This includes:-
- a closed metal box to store all the firework
- a bucket of water
- protective glasses and gloves
- a bucked of earth to stick fireworks in
Light it up
It’s easy to get carried away on Bonfire Night. There are always risks just around the corner. Get a grip of these safety tips to prevent an accident from happening:-
- never drink alcohol if you plan to set off fireworks
- do not keep fireworks in your pocket
- keep all pets aware from the site
- make sure all clothing is tucked away so that nothing can catch fire
For more advice check the DirectGov site.
