Smoke control areas
In 1985, the entirety of Birmingham was designated a Smoke Control Area under the Clean Air Act 1983.
This measure was introduced to improve air quality throughout the city.
The existing Smoke Control Orders are being revoked and replaced by the Smoke Control Order 2025, which comes into force on 23 March 2026.
Read the 2025 Smoke Control Order
The new Order extends the rules to include moored vessels. As a result of this, residents and canal boat users are only allowed to burnauthorised fuels in an open fireplace or wood in an exempt appliance. Burning coal is not permitted in Birmingham.
Learn more about the Smoke Control Areas
Smoke Control Area rules
It is important that people use only the correct fuel at all times. Using the wrong fuel can cause smoke emissions.
Under the amended legislation, you risk a fixed penalty if your chimney emits smoke in a Smoke Control Area.
You can only burn authorised fuels in an open fireplace, and wood can only be used in an exempt appliance.
Restrictions on firewood and manufactured solid fuels
The Air Quality Domestic Solid Fuels Standards limit which fuels can be sold for home burning:
- firewood sold in units of less than 2 cubic metres must be certified by the Ready to Burn Scheme and the certification details and scheme logo must be attached to the packaging and clearly displayed at the point of sale
- if firewood is sold in units of more than 2 cubic metres, customers must be provided with information that explains how to dry, store and check the moisture of the wood before it is used
- all manufactured solid fuels must be certified by the Ready to Burn Scheme and the certification details and scheme logo must be attached to the packaging and clearly displayed at the point of sale. Fuels that are exempt from these certification requirements are coffee logs, olive logs, wine logs, and fuels mostly made of wheat husks, straw, miscanthus, bamboo or compressed food waste
Learn more about domestic solid fuel rules
Page last updated: 31 October 2025
