Pollutant Risk On Bonfire Night, Warns Charity

A leading lung charity is warning people with lung conditions, such as asthma, to take precautions this Bonfire Night, as firework displays could put them at risk of a life-threatening asthma attack or flare up of their lung condition.   

With asthma currently affecting more than seven million people in the UK, many could experience worsening symptoms like breathlessness, wheezing, and coughing, or even end up in hospital seriously unwell as the smoke and pollutants from fireworks is coupled with smoke from bonfires.¹

Fireworks release harmful pollutants into the air that can inflame your lungs, including sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and carbon monoxide. When set off, these different gases can linger in the air for hours and when breathed in, can irritate your airways. 

Coupled with the smoke from bonfires, this could create a dangerous combination of pollutants in the atmosphere, putting the lives of people with lung conditions like asthma at risk on and around 5 November. 

Asthma + Lung UK is urging people with lung conditions to be careful and protect themselves.  

Dr Andrew Whittamore, Clinical Lead at Asthma + Lung UK and a practicing GP, said: “People with lung conditions are often warned about the risks of smoke from bonfires on bonfire night, but they also need to think about the risks of fireworks, which are made using a mixture of chemicals, including gunpowder.  

“When fireworks are set off, they release smoke and lots of different chemicals. Breathing in smoke and chemicals can irritate your airways and trigger symptoms, potentially causing an asthma attack, or flare up up of your lung condition. 
 
“Air can stay polluted for several hours after a firework display or a bonfire, especially if it’s a still night with no wind to blow pollution away. We would advise anyone with a lung condition such as asthma to be cautious on Bonfire Night and to stay indoors if they are badly affected.” 

In Asthma + Lung’s recent Life with a Lung Condition survey, half of people living with a lung condition surveyed said poor air quality, including smoke, made their symptoms worse.² The most recent NHS data shows that almost 38 percent of hospital admissions for asthma in November 2024 in England were emergency admissions, 54,070 out of 143,470.³

Poor air quality is even more dangerous for children with lung conditions like asthma, because their lungs are still developing, making them more susceptible to inflammation from pollutants. Children also breathe more frequently than adults, so they inhale a larger volume of polluted air in the same amount of time, and are normally closer to the ground too, where smoke lingers. 
 
Dawn Jones dreads Bonfire Night every year. The 59-year-old mum-of-two and former nurse from Birmingham has severe asthma and believes she was left with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after suffering asthma attacks caused by smoke. 
 
She said: “I get anxious every year around Bonfire Night. As I know there is smoke and chemicals in the air from fireworks and bonfires and that’s so dangerous for me. Even the slightest bit of smoke can leave me fighting for breath, and it puts me at risk of an asthma attack. I once ended up in hospital for a week after inhaling smoke from a fire near my home, which left me unable to breathe. I have PTSD because of the effect smoke has had on my asthma in the past.  

“I have bronchiectasis too, which is a chronic lung condition where your airways are thickened from inflammation, so I have to close all my doors and windows and not go out at all on Bonfire Night, as it’s such a risk for me. Even the next morning if I go out, I get really breathless, so I have to wait until the smoke and chemicals in the atmosphere subside.  

“People don’t realise how dangerous smoke can be for people with lung conditions like asthma and there needs to be more awareness.” 

Emma Rubach, Head of Health Advice at Asthma + Lung UK, said: “Bonfire displays and fireworks can be fun for adults and children, but they can also be dangerous if you have a lung condition like asthma, especially as the weather tends to be colder in November. Cold weather can also be a trigger.  

“If you have asthma, the best thing you can do is use your preventer inhaler every day as prescribed, as this builds up protection in your airways. Always keep your reliever inhaler with you to relieve symptoms if they come on. If the smoke from fireworks or bonfires has brought on symptoms before, it might be better to stay indoors and enjoy watching a display from a window.”    
 
“If you are planning on going to a display, make sure you stand well back from the fireworks and bonfire, and check what direction the wind is blowing in so you can avoid the smoke.” 
 
Asthma + Lung UK has the following advice for people with lung conditions this Bonfire Night:       

• Make sure you take your preventer inhaler everyday as prescribed 
• Always carry your reliever inhaler with you if you have one
• If you find that smoke or the chemicals from fireworks are one of your triggers, consider staying indoors. If you do go out, stand well back from the display   
• Follow your self-management plan and make sure friends and family know what to do and when to get help if your symptoms suddenly get worse   

Asthma + Lung UK has a free Winter Wellness Guide to help people stay well this winter. Sign up here: https://www.asthmaandlung.org.uk/withyouthiswinter