Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust is asking everyone to remember wildlife this Bonfire Night.

Animals that are in particular danger are hedgehogs, which are attracted to areas such as hedgerows, woodland edges and suburban spaces where they can find enough food and shelter. This means that our gardens are their ideal habitat for shelter, making nests or hibernating. At this time of year, the perfect refuge for hedgehogs, as well as other hibernating animals such as frogs and newts, can be under a pile of wood and leaves. This unfortunately closely resembles what is needed to build a bonfire. If you are planning on having a bonfire in your garden this year, it is important to check your garden for any animals that may be left undetected when lighting it.

If you are planning to celebrate with a bonfire, here are some helpful tips that you can follow to help protect wildlife:

If possible, while it is still light, create an alternative hedgehog home by placing some hedgehog boxes in the surrounding area or raking up grass cuttings or leaves into a pile a safe distance from the fire.

Prepare and plan your spot carefully. When deciding where to place the bonfire, or where to set fireworks from, it is important to steer clear of trees and bushes. Many species tend to hibernate in hedgerows, and there may be birds nesting in the trees. It is also a good idea to build the bonfire as close to the night as possible, to reduce the chances of wildlife moving in. If the materials are prepared and set while it is still light then it will be much easier to notice any animals.

Before lighting, search the bonfire for hibernating creatures using a torch and a rake to gently pull back twigs or vegetation. If any creatures are found, move or redirect them to somewhere dry, undisturbed and away from the fire, or some pre-prepared piles of leaves and logs for alternative shelter. Check, check and check again for animals before lighting the fire. If you do find any hibernating hedgehogs at the bottom and in the middle of your prepared bonfire, pick them up (using gloves) and move them to underneath a tree or shrubs, somewhere that is sheltered and not exposed to wind or rain.

Don’t burn it all! Leave some dead wood and old leaves as habitat piles for wildlife.

Make sure the bonfire is out, or safe before leaving it – a large bonfire will produce a pile of ash that could be hot for days.

Clear up afterwards. Don’t leave dead fireworks or litter as cans and bottles can trap small mammals.