Guy Fawkes night is a real blast from the past. The smoke from bonfires is reminiscent of times when our homes were heated by wood and coal, while the smoke from fireworks also contains tiny inhalable particles of metals that are used to make different colours. For example:
This 5 November, the cold, settled weather of the last few months allowed fireworks and bonfire smoke to build up in towns and cities across England and Wales. The north-west of England was the worst affected with pollution in Blackpool, Liverpool, Warrington and Wigan reaching the maximum value of 10 (very high), according to the UK daily air quality index. In fact, the air pollution experienced by those in Liverpool in 24 hours was equivalent to five days' normal exposure.
