The council has revoked 26 existing Smoke Control Orders and replaced them with one new Smoke Control Order, that covers the whole of Wirral. The new Order came into effect on 1st August 2025. The area covered is highlighted on a map of the new Smoke Control Area.
PDF files below may not be suitable to view for people with disabilities, users of assistive technology or mobile phone devices. PDF maps are more suitable to view on a large screen over a wifi connection.
In a smoke control area:
- you cannot release smoke from a chimney, furnace or any fixed boiler
- you can only burn authorised fuel, unless you use an appliance approved by DEFRA (known as an ‘exempt appliance’ or a ‘Defra approved appliance’)
Authorised fuels include anthracite, semi anthracite gas and low volatile coal. Defra have produced a list of authorised fuels.
Exempt appliances can be used to burn unauthorised fuel. Defra have produced a list of exempt appliances.
Environmental Health can investigate complaints and offer advice about smoke nuisance from domestic or commercial bonfires and chimneys. The current maximum fine for releasing smoke from your chimney in a smoke control area is £300. The current maximum fine for buying unauthorised fuel to use in an appliance that is not approved by DEFRA is £1,000.
Further guidance and advice on smoke control areas, is available from GOV.UK.
DEFRA produced a range of guidance leaflets with further information on open fires and wood burning stoves, smoke control areas and buying, storing and seasoning wood:
- Open fires and wood burning stoves leaflet (PDF, 276.38KB)
- Smoke control areas leaflet (241.05KB)
- Buying, storing and seasoning wood leaflet (PDF, 290.13KB)
You are allowed garden bonfires in smoke control areas, but you must follow the bonfire advice.