Clean Air Night 2026 is on Thursday 22 January.
Clean Air Night is a national campaign to raise public awareness about the health and environmental impacts of domestic wood burning, allowing individuals to make informed decisions about the way they heat their homes. Our Fuel for Thought campaign supports people to use alternatives to burning wood if possible, and if not, to use smokeless fuels or approved stoves, with help and support available to understand how to do this.
The Clean Air Hub contains facts about wood burning and provides answers to many frequently asked questions on burning wood at home.
Health impacts of wood burning
When wood is burned, fine polluting particles (commonly known as PM2.5) are released into the air. Once inhaled, these particles can enter the blood stream and contribute to a range of health issues.
Short term exposure to fine particulate pollution can make asthma symptoms worse and increase hospital admissions for cardiovascular and respiratory problems.
In the long term, this type of air pollution contributes to chronic conditions such as heart disease, stroke and lung disease, including lung cancer.
Burning wood doesn’t just pollute your home, it pollutes your local community and harms the health of your neighbours. Recent research from Global Action Plan, Hertfordshire County Council and Ricardo has shown that air pollution from burning in UK homes contributes to almost 2,500 premature deaths annually.
Use alternative heat sources
Around 92% of people burning wood in the UK already have another way to heat their home, but many are not aware of the facts about wood burning and are inadvertently putting the health of their family and local community at risk.
It is a common misconception that wood burning is a cheaper source of heating. However, a study by Global Action Plan revealed that wood is, in almost all cases, more expensive than a gas boiler or an air source heat pump for this purpose.
City of York Council’s Fuel for Thought campaign aims to highlight healthier and more cost-effective ways of heating your home, and, if unavoidable, the safest and most efficient ways of using your wood burner.