NEW data has shown that Blaenau Gwent has had the most smoke complaints per capita in Wales in 2021.

There were 185 smoke complaints in the region in 2021/22, which means there were 26.42 complaints per 10,000 people.

The UK average for smoke complaints per 10,000 people is 6.76, which shows that Blaenau Gwent had a much larger amount of complaints than is expected.

The data was taken from FOI requests to all the councils in the UK, then compiled by Radiance Fireplaces.

Radiance Fireplaces then ranked the data based on complaints per 10,000 people.

Blaenau Gwent came third on the list out of all of the UK.

However, another Gwent local authority area also scored poorly, with Newport coming in eighth in the UK table.

In Newport, 266 complaints were made in 2021/22 which means 17 complaints were made per 10,000 people.

Monmouthshire had 99 complaints in 2021/22, meaning that they had an average of 10.4 complaints per 10,000 people.

Caerphilly were also above the UK average for smoke complaints, with 188 complaints and an average of 10.35 complaints per 10,000 people.

Radiance Fireplaces said they had no data available on Torfaen.

In total, there have been 27,409 smoke or fire complaints across the UK in the past year.

However, Blaenau Gwent saw more complaints in 2021/22 compared to 2020/21.

Radiance Fireplaces note that lockdowns saw an increase in reports that have now mostly started to decline as restrictions across the country have been lifted.

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Karl Sullivan, owner of Radiance Fireplaces, gave some tips to avoid annoying neighbours with a fire:

Talk with your neighbours - If you have a good relationship with the people who live around you, giving them a heads-up that you’ll be using an outdoor fire or creating a bonfire will keep those relationships happy.

You may want to tell them what day or time you’re planning the fire so they can plan their washing or other plans around it.

Research what you can burn in your area - Some areas of the country have different guidelines on garden bonfires, so be sure to research what you can burn in your garden before starting your fire.

Avoid windy days - Wind can blow smoke even further from your property, potentially affecting more people in the surrounding area.

While you can’t control the weather, consider whether a fire is the best idea by checking the forecast before lighting.

Create a small bonfire and add to it - Whether you’re burning garden waste or using a fire pit, reduce the level of smoke produced by creating a smaller fire and gradually adding to it, rather than heaping everything on and burning through it as fast as you can.