Topic: Bonfire Smoke

[Lavender]

Our committee (including me) had a vacant plot to deal with recently.  There were a number of fruit trees which apart from being an inappropriate size, had seen better days and were stuck in the middle of the plot, making it difficult to relet.  Bottom line, the trees came down and in accordance with allotment regs, we burned the lot.  The adjacent plot holder has just had the screaming habdabs when he noticed some bonfire ash which had blown onto his allotment.  He is raging about his onions now being ruined by the smoke.  Is he right?  Will the smoke have damaged his stuff?  The guy is barking, but I just wondered if there was any substance to his claims. 

[Borlotti]

In Enfield, north london, no bonfires till october. Houses around allotments so not on a sunny sunday here. Looking forward to a big bonfire later in the year, probably raining then. Depend whereabout you are, but i threatened with police, fire brigade, as lady had her washing out, so will wait until 5 nov and no complaints.

[BarriedaleNick]

Smoke isn't going to harm his onions but it is one of those things that seems to raise hackles everywhere. At lease twice a year we deal with complaints about fires or bbqs and often they are part of some feud or other ongoing issue.  I guess this chap is the sort likely to complain and moan? 

Smoke can be a real nuisance though and people have every right to get upset if thick clouds of smoke are wafting over there plot on a nice afternoon. I don't like it but my neighbours are lovely!

[Lavender]

Thank you for your replies.  Yes, I agree bonfires can be a real nuisance.  We are lucky not to have any houses or other property anywhere near us and we have a rule that no fires can be lit until an hour before sunset during the summer months, and then only if there is no one there to be annoyed by them.  At other times we rely on common sense although I have been known to use my watering can before now.  Virtually everyone on the allotment has been on the receiving end of this person's moaning (at best, and borderline aggression at worst).  I just wanted to check whether his onions could actually have suffered smoke damage, although the fire was well away from them.  Of course he saw the pile of ash on the next plot and the sprinkle of ash that had blown onto his bit of dirt - if we'd had a shower of rain he wouldn't even have noticed.  It'll be Ok though, as I've just noticed he's washed them - that should do the trick.  Needless to say, he makes no contribution whatsoever to the overall upkeep of the place but is always the first to moan.  Can't please everyone, eh.