Gravesham Borough Council has placed a temporary ban on bonfires at every council allotment site in the borough, citing the increased fire risk from the current hot, dry weather.

If you rent an allotment plot anywhere in Gravesham, you’ll need to find another way to clear your green waste for now. The council posted the ban on its official social media account, making clear it applies to all allotment sites and stays in place until further notice.

Gravesham’s own allotment rules already set strict conditions for bonfires in normal times — fires can only be lit at dusk in summer (not before 7pm), must be kept small and contained, and cannot be lit when it’s windy. This temporary ban goes further, stopping fires altogether while the dry conditions last.

The council’s case for acting is straightforward: dry ground, parched vegetation, and dry timber fencing mean a bonfire that would normally stay contained could spread quickly beyond a plot boundary, threatening neighbouring sheds, fences, and planting. Kent Fire and Rescue Service guidance backs that general position, advising people to avoid bonfires where waste can be composted or disposed of more safely.

But not everyone will find the restriction easy to absorb. Allotment holders doing end-of-season clearance or tackling overgrown plots rely on bonfires as one of the quickest ways to deal with woody waste that won’t compost easily. For those people, the alternatives — bagging material for collection, taking it to an authorised waste facility, or leaving it to rot down — take more time and, in some cases, cost money.

It’s also worth being clear about what the ban does not cover. This is a restriction on council-managed allotment sites, not a borough-wide ban on all domestic bonfires in back gardens. Bonfires are not automatically illegal in Gravesham under normal circumstances. The council’s Environmental Protection Service can investigate if smoke causes a serious nuisance, and residents can report problems to that team — but a garden bonfire at home is a separate matter from the current allotment restriction.

Ignoring the allotment ban carries real consequences. Gravesham’s tenancy rules already warn that failing to follow bonfire requirements can lead to tenancy revocation — losing your plot entirely. Separately, smoke nuisance enforcement can result in an abatement notice, and ignoring that can lead to prosecution.

Key information

  • The bonfire ban covers all Gravesham allotment sites and is in force until further notice — treat it as active until the council says otherwise
  • Allotment holders should check Gravesham Borough Council’s official updates before burning any material on their plot
  • To report a smoke nuisance, contact Gravesham Borough Council’s Environmental Protection Service
  • For green waste disposal alternatives, contact Gravesham Borough Council directly or use an authorised household waste facility