The dangers of Bonfire Night for people living with lung conditions in Scotland

Nearly 500,000 people in Scotland are living with asthma and around 350,000 are living with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).¹ 

Exposure to smoke can irritate the airways and worsen symptoms including breathlessness, wheezing and coughing. In severe cases, it can lead to people ending up in hospital unwell. This risk could be made worse by falling temperatures, which can also make breathing more difficult for people with lung conditions. As winter gets closer and temperatures drop, cold air can cause airways to narrow, and increase mucus production, making it harder for people with asthma and COPD to breathe.

Four out of ten people (44%) with lung conditions surveyed by the charity in Scotland, including asthma and COPD, said air pollution was a trigger for their condition(s), while seven in ten (71%) identified cold air as a trigger.²

Asthma + Lung UK Scotland is urging people with lung conditions to stay well this Bonfire Night by following these top tips:     

• Take your preventer inhaler everyday as prescribed 
• If you use one, always carry your reliever inhaler with you, so you can use it quickly if you need to
• If you find that smoke is one of your triggers, consider staying indoors. If you do go out, stand well back from the bonfire   
• Make sure friends and family know what to do and when to get help if your symptoms suddenly get worse. If you use a self-management plan, keep a copy with you
• If cold air is a trigger for you, wrap a scarf loosely around your mouth and nose to warm the air before you breathe it in, if this is comfortable  
• People with asthma and COPD should also make sure they are up to date with recommended vaccinations, including flu vaccination, as respiratory infections are a major trigger for severe exacerbations during the winter months

Gem from Edinburgh has severe asthma, which can be triggered by smoke and cold temperatures. She has been in hospital numerous times due to asthma attacks. She has had asthma since she was a child. 

“The weeks surrounding 5 November are a time of dread for me every single year. The risk to my life isn't confined to just one night; it begins weeks earlier as people start lighting fires and setting off fireworks, which can leave the air filled with smoke.

“For someone living with severe asthma, this can easily become life-threatening. To get through this time, I am forced to keep myself indoors—with all windows tightly shut and stuffing rugs under the doors to block the smoke. I am really worried to leave my house. On the rare occasions I must go outside, I have to wrap a scarf over my nose and mouth.

“The combination of hanging smoke and the trigger of cold autumnal temperatures creates a constant, lingering fear that my next breath will trigger a severe asthma attack and land me back in hospital. Most people don’t give it a second thought, but for those of us with chronic lung conditions, this time of year can be truly terrifying.”

Joseph Carter, Head of Asthma + Lung UK Scotland, said:       

“Smoke from bonfires and fireworks, when coupled with colder air, can make asthma and COPD symptoms worse, meaning that in the next week people could face a dangerous combination of smoke and a drop in temperatures. Smoke and fine particles can remain in the air for hours after a bonfire or fireworks display, and under some weather conditions may persist for longer.

“As we approach this Bonfire Night, the best thing you can do if you have a lung condition like asthma is take your preventer inhaler every day as prescribed, as this helps reduce airway inflammation and makes symptoms and asthma attacks less likely. Keep your reliever inhaler to hand if you have one, so you can use it to quickly relieve symptoms if they do come on. If the smoke from fireworks, bonfires or cold air has brought on your symptoms before, be extra careful or maybe enjoy the display from indoors.   

“However, we know bonfires and fireworks can be good fun, so if you are planning on going to a display, make sure you stand well back from bonfires and fireworks, and check what direction the wind is blowing so you can avoid the smoke. If it’s cold weather, you can try loosely wrapping a scarf around your nose and mouth to warm up the air you’re breathing in.”   

More information can be found at: Fireworks and your lungs | Asthma + Lung UK or call the Asthma + Lung UK Helpline on 0300 222 5800, funded with thanks to funds raised by players of the Postcode Lottery. 

You can also download our free and personalised Winter Health Guide: Winter can be life and breath | Asthma + Lung UK 

ENDS

References 

1. Global Burden of Diseases (GBD) which can be accessed here. The GBD prevalence is the total number of cases in a population at a given time, including both diagnosed and undiagnosed. GBD estimates reflect the true underlying burden using multiple data sources and modelling, so they inherently include individuals who have not been clinically diagnosed.

2. Figures from Scotland respondents to Asthma + Lung UK’s 2025 Life with a Lung Condition Survey. Caution should be advised when extrapolating this survey to a wider population, as the respondents in Scotland were 71% female, 98% white and 74% were over 60 years old.

366 of the 825 people surveyed with a lung condition said their condition(s) were triggered by air pollution. 582 out of 825 people surveyed with a lung condition said their condition(s) were triggered by cold air.