Bonfire Night
Whether you are attending an organised Bonfire Night & Fireworks event or hosting your own, here are a few tips from thebestof Solihull to keep everything going smoothly!
Get the most out of Bonfire Night with a few simple tips from thebestof Solihull to make sure it is full of whizz, bangs and fun!
Wrap up warm
We may have had the hottest October on record, but there is definitely a nip in the air now! So, whether you are attending an organised event or braving your back garden, make sure that you are wrapped up warm. There is little fun to be had when standing around for long periods of time in the damp. So make sure you keep the ooh’s and aah’s coming when the fireworks are set off by ensuring that little (and big!) hands, feet heads and necks are covered up. It would be advisable to also wear something waterproof so that you can withstand the rain should it decide to descend.
Food
If you are planning food for your own event then baked potatoes, sausages, baked beans are good as they can be prepared in advance and then kept in the oven on a low heat until everyone is ready to munch. Such Bonfire Night Fare can also be consumed to give you something warm in your tummies before you head off to an organised event.
Building a bonfire
Use a small bundle of dry wood, leaves and any newspaper that you have been saving and put them on the ground in the centre of a boundary circle. Place a couple of substantial pieces of wood either side, to keep the kindling wood in place, then some more logs at right angles across the first two to make a square and provide a platform for the rest of the fire. Start to add your firewood on top, criss-crossing it as each layer fire grows, increasing the size and filling any large gaps with kindling
where any layers don’t touch, to make sure that you get an even burn on all sides. If you leave a small tunnel to access the centre of the fire near the bottom it makes the bonfire easier to light. To finish it all off construct a pyramid of wood around the platform. The shape is important to ensure the materials collapse inwards, fuelling the flames below and not following
outside the boundary circle.
When it’s time to light your fire, light a newspaper torch to set the centre of the bonfire alight.
Never, never, ever use petrol or paraffin to light
or restart a fire.
For information about the legal restrictions and guidelines on Bonfires, go to
http://www.environmental-protection.org.uk/assets/library/documents/Bonfires_leaflet_Oct07.pdf
And for government advice on managing your bonfire
go to:
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/HomeAndCommunity/InYourHome/Escapingandrecoveringfromafire/
DG_180786
Fireworks
