How to Make Bonfire Night Safe for Hedgehogs This 2025?

November 3, 2025 • Joel Carino

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Sparkler emitting sparks against a blurred background of lights

Bonfire Night is arguably one of the loudest and brightest celebrations in the UK, where fireworks light up the sky and bonfires crackle throughout the land.

While everyone else enjoys the spectacle, hedgehogs face serious danger. These innocent nocturnal animals are at risk of being tragically caught when the fires are finally lit.

So, what can we do about it?

In this article, we’ll give a brief overview of Bonfire Night, explore how bonfires are a danger to hedgehogs, and list practical solutions to make bonfires safe for hedgehogs and other wildlife.

Let’s dive right in.

Bonfire Night: A Brief History

Bonfire Night, also known as Guy Fawkes Night or Fireworks Night, is a long-standing British tradition celebrated every around the 5th of November.

It commemorates the failed Gunpowder Plot of 1605, when Guy Fawkes and his fellow conspirators attempted to blow up the Houses of Parliament to overthrow King James I.

To mark the king’s survival, people lit bonfires across London, which soon spread throughout the country.

Through the years, Bonfire Night evolved from a day of political thanksgiving into a festive evening filled with bonfires, fireworks, and community gatherings.

How Does Bonfire Night Affect Hedgehogs and Other Wildlife?

While the roots of Bonfire Night are rich, the risks associated with it greatly impact our local wildlife, like hedgehogs.

Unlit bonfire piles, especially when built days in advance, provide perfect shelters for small animals. They are warm, dry, and full of leaves. Unfortunately, hedgehogs and other wildlife often crawl inside seeking safety and comfort, only to then face the horrors once the bonfires are lit.

In addition, loud fireworks and bright flashes also frighten birds, pets, and nocturnal animals. This disrupts their natural behavior and habitat, harming wildlife long after the celebration ends.

The best thing to do for wildlife would be to stop Fireworks Night, but that isn’t going to happen. So, what can be done to prepare for the fun responsibly?

5 Ways to Make Bonfire Night Hedgehog-Safe

Make Bonfire Night wildlife-friendly with the following tips:

1. Build Your Bonfire on the Day You Light It

One of the simplest yet most effective ways to protect hedgehogs is to build your bonfire on the same day you plan to light it.

When left to sit for days, wood, leaves, and garden waste become irresistible nesting spots for hedgehogs seeking warmth and shelter.

By constructing the pile just hours prior to lighting, you minimize the chance of wildlife going inside.

2. Keep Bonfire Materials Separate Until Needed

Preparing the bonfire is one thing, but storing the required materials, like logs, branches, and leaves, can also pose problems.

It’s advisable to store your bonfire materials in a closed-off and separate place from where you’ll set up the bonfire. By doing this, you ensure no wildlife can move in, and if somehow a settlement takes place, building the bonfire on fresh ground lets you drive the hedgehog away to safety.

This small adjustment can literally be the difference between life and death for these gentle garden visitors.

3. Raise and Protect the Base

In certain situations, prevention may not be enough and actively safeguarding your bonfire is necessary.

Here are three ways to do it:

First, to prevent hedgehogs from sneaking into your bonfire, raise the base off the ground using bricks, logs, or wooden pallets. A small gap makes it much harder for hedgehogs to crawl inside while still allowing air to circulate for a better burn.

Secondly, for extra protection, you may wrap a layer of chicken wire or mesh around the bottom about one meter high. This acts as a barrier against small animals, preventing entry and settlement.

Finally, make sure to always double-check for hedgehogs before lighting. Use a stick to access tight sections and shine a torch into dark gaps. If you hear any rustling or hissing sounds, those are telltale signs that an animal might be inside.

If you discover a hedgehog, use a pair of gloves to lift and release the animal to a nearby garden.

4. Provide an Alternative Shelter Nearby

Give hedgehogs a safe refuge by offering an alternative shelter away from your bonfire area. You can create a simple shelter by piling up dry leaves, logs, or straw in a quiet corner of your garden. If you have the time and budget, you may even design a purpose-built hedgehog house.

These cosy spaces encourage hedgehogs to settle there instead of inside bonfire piles. Add a shallow dish of water nearby and avoid disturbing the area once it’s set.

By giving hedgehogs a secure alternative, you help them stay safe while still enjoying a fun, responsible Bonfire Night.

5. Use for Low-Noise Options

Traditional fireworks have very loud continuous bangs which can cause panic and disorientation for wildlife, farm animals, and pets. Animal welfare organisations push each year for fireworks to be banned due to the stress they cause but so far, the country’s love of fireworks has trumped this movement. So instead, consider using low-decibel fireworks that still create stunning visuals without loud bangs. You can also swap fireworks for a laser or light show to celebrate more peacefully.

While unorthodox to the traditional spirit of Bonfire Night, making this conscious choice can protect the wellbeing of local wildlife.

How to Support Hedgehog Preservation with Bare Kind?

Hedgehog protection transcends annual Bonfire Nights.

Even off season, you can still support hedgehog preservation and help protect their habitat when you buy Bare Kind’s Save the Hedgehogs Bamboo Socks.

Bare Kind donates 10% of all profits made from the hedgehog socks to the British Hedgehog Preservation Society.

You can read more about our Save the Hedgehog campaign here.

Wrapping Up

Approximately fewer than a million hedgehogs are left in the UK today.

We are responsible for ensuring the preservation of its species by raising awareness, understanding the factors affecting its decline, and making proactive decisions that safeguard their well-being.

There are plenty of ways to support hedgehog preservation, and they don’t have to be grand. A simple, conscious act can have a significant impact on hedgehog survival.

Start by making this year’s Bonfire Night safe for hedgehogs and other wildlife.