Burning Wood: Prevent Nuisance

A wood-burning stove, fireplace, or fire pit can be cozy. However, the smoke they produce can cause a nuisance and be harmful to your health. By being mindful when burning wood, you help keep the air cleaner and may prevent a nuisance for your neighbors.

Tips for Minimizing Disturbances

Do you want to burn wood? The following tips will help you reduce emissions of harmful substances and prevent potential nuisances to your neighbors.

  • Before lighting a fire, check the Fire Guide. It indicates whether it is advisable to burn wood at that time. Weather conditions and air quality determine how well smoke disperses. Even if it seems clear outside, air quality may still be poor.
  • Do not burn when there is little wind or fog. In such conditions, the smoke cannot disperse as well and may linger longer, causing more nuisance to nearby residents. 
  • Use only dry, untreated wood. This ensures better combustion.
  • Do not burn trash or treated wood, such as plastic, paper, textiles, particleboard, or wood that has been painted, varnished, or treated.

Are you bothered by wood smoke?

Smoke from a wood-burning stove, fireplace, or fire pit can cause odor nuisances and health problems. Are you bothered by wood smoke from your neighbors? If so, try talking to them first. Perhaps your neighbors aren’t aware that their wood burning is causing a nuisance. Sometimes, simple agreements are enough to reduce the nuisance.

A few tips for a good conversation:

  • Keep track of when and under what circumstances you experience discomfort.
  • Calmly discuss what you're noticing and how the smoke is affecting you.
  • Please keep in mind that your neighbors may not realize they are causing a disturbance.
  • Try to work together to find a solution and make clear agreements.

For more information, visit the Milieucentraal website : Knowledge Center for Sustainable Living. 

Report a nuisance to the municipality

Are you unable to resolve the issue together? If so, you can report the nuisance to the municipality via gemeente@aalten.nl. Please include the date, time, and address where the nuisance is occurring.

Why is wood smoke harmful?

Burning wood releases harmful substances, including particulate matter and soot. These substances pollute the air and can be harmful to health. Wood smoke can, among other things, irritate the respiratory tract and exacerbate existing health conditions.

Children, the elderly, and people with heart or lung conditions may be particularly sensitive to wood smoke. Even if you burn wood yourself, you inhale these harmful substances.