Smoke control areas & the law
If you live in a Smoke control area and want to burn wood you need to be aware of the law.
Want the legalese?
If you’re interested in the legal nitty gritty here it is! The law states that if you live in smoke control area:
- it’s illegal to emit smoke and/or to acquire an “unauthorised fuel” for use within the area
- if you do - you face fines of £1000 for each offence
An “unauthorised fuel” is one which produces smoke eg wood.
But the law covering smoke control areas also states:
- you are permitted to burn and/or acquire an “unauthorised fuel” for use in the area
- as long as you use it in a smoke control exempt appliance
As far as wood stoves are concerned a smoke control exempt appliance is a woodburner / wood burning stove that is exempt from smoke control legislation.
In other words…
Put simply – if you want to burn wood in a wood burning stove and find you live in a smoke control area you need to buy a smoke control exempt stove
Our comprehensive collection of stoves includes many smoke control exempt models. Look for the green logo!
