Have you been learning about clean air at school?

That’s great!

Here’s everything you need to find out more and to take part in the Winter Clean Air Challenge.

What happens when we burn wood?

Burning wood feels cosy, and lots of people like doing it in winter to keep themselves warm. But it’s actually the most polluting way to heat your home. When wood is burned, it creates smoke that pollutes the air. This smoke has tiny bits of dust and soot in it, called particulate matter (PM2.5). These particles are so small you can’t see them, but you can still breathe them in.

These tiny particles can stop your head, heart and lungs from growing and working as they should.

A higher cost

Most of the time, wood burning is more expensive than other ways of heating your home, because of the cost of buying wood to burn.

Some people burn ‘dead wood’, which is wood like fallen logs and branches found in woodlands and parks.

This makes wood burning less expensive but can impact local wildlife, because dead wood is actually full of life! Insects and fungi live there, birds and small animals eat them, and bigger animals eat those. Leaving dead wood where it is helps the whole forest stay healthy.

Carbon dioxide

Burning wood also harms the planet in another way. It gives off more carbon dioxide, a harmful gas that makes climate change worse, than other ways of heating your home.

But there’s good news – there are cleaner, healthier ways to keep warm! Choosing better ways to heat our homes helps us take care of ourselves, each other, and the planet.

And when we leave fallen logs and branches in forests, rather than taking them home, forests stay strong and full of life. Next time you see an old log, stump, or branch in a park or garden, take a moment to imagine — what little creatures might call it home?

Winter Clean Air Challenge

This winter, we’re teaming up with schools across Southampton to learn about how burning wood can affect our health and our planet.

In some schools, we’re running a ‘Winter Clean Air Challenge’. If it’s happening at your school, here’s your mission:

Become a smell detective!

  • Take an evening walk and see if you can spot or smell wood smoke.
  • Record what you find on your activity sheet.
  • Then, get creative with cosy ways to stay warm this winter without a fire.


How to enter:

  • Use our activity sheet.
  • Hand it in to your school reception before your school’s deadline.


Together, this winter, we can make a big difference for our city!

Information for grown-ups

If you choose to burn, there are things you can do which may reduce emissions of particulate matter. We’ve listed general tips below, but always follow your stove manufacturer’s instructions or seek advice from an accredited installer or chimney sweep for guidance specific to your appliance.

Burn cleanly:

  • Choose cleaner fuels, such as kiln dried or well-seasoned wood with low moisture content (less than 20%).
  • Use efficient appliances like EcoDesign or DEFRA Approved stoves.

Burn smart:​

  • Use the ‘top-down’ method to get up to temperature quickly and reduce smoke: larger logs at the bottom, smaller pieces and kindling above, then light from the top.
  • Fit a flue pipe thermometer to help you keep your stove in the efficient burn range (often around 250°C for most stoves).
  • Keep air vents open enough that the fire has a good supply of oxygen and avoid slumbering (running the stove on very low air for long periods).
  • When refuelling, open the door slightly to let the air pressure settle, then open fully, to keep smoke and ash out of your room.

Burn safely:

  • Clear out excess stove ash and clean the stove glass regularly. ​
  • Check and replace, if needed: rope seals, firebricks, baffle plates, and stove grates.​
  • Have your chimney and flue swept regularly, ideally by a HETAS Approved Sweep and Service Technician.