A Guide to Exeter's Smoke Control Area
This page provides a detailed overview of Exeter's smoke control area with help to understand exactly what you can and cannot do in the area to heat your home or business. Broadly speaking, the smoke control area is designed to prevent the use of smokey fuels that pollute air quality in built-up areas. The Clean Air Act was first passed in 1956 in response to the great smog of 1952 in London. Exeter adopted its first smoke control area a year later in 1957 making it one England's oldest smoke control areas. More recently in 2015, the scheme was expanded and now covers around 60% of the city of Exeter. Exeter is the only place in Devon that has a smoke control area.
Smoke Control Area Postcode Checker
To find out if your home or business is inside the smoke control area, use our postcode checker. This tool checks your postcode against the list published by DEFRA on their UK AIR portal.
Smoke Control Area Postcode Checker
Enter your postcode to find out if your property is inside Exeter's Smoke Control Area:
Can I Burn Logs in Exeter's Smoke Control Area?
Yes, you can use wood to heat your home in the smoke control area but only under certain conditions. Kiln dried firewood is not classified as an approved smokeless fuel so you cannot burn wood on an open fire. However, if wood is burned in a DEFRA approved wood burning stove, then it's ok.
Generally speaking any modern wood burning stove built in recent times to current standards will likely be an approved appliance. Modern wood burning stoves are much more efficient and they help combust unburned gasses before they are exhausted up the chimney. We do not recommend assuming your wood burning stove is an approved appliance and you can check the exact list of approved appliances on the DEFRA website.
It is always safer and cleaner to use kiln dried firewood. Dried logs burn much more efficiently and produce much less smoke than seasoned, wet or green wood. In a smoke control area managing air pollution is the aim so only burning kiln dried firewood on an approved appliance is the best way to do that.
Fines for Breaking Exeter's Smoke Control Area Rules
Exeter's Smoke Control Area restrictions are legally enforceable under the Clean Air Act. If you live or operate a business within the designated area, you must make sure you are burning the correct fuel in a suitable appliance.
If smoke is emitted from your chimney, Exeter City Council can issue a financial penalty of between £175 and £300. Repeated incidents can result in further penalties.
You could also face a fine of up to £1,000 if you purchase unauthorised fuel, such as ordinary firewood, for use in a non-exempt appliance within the Smoke Control Area.
What You CAN Burn
- Kiln dried hardwood logs – Oak, Ash & Beech and Birch logs, provided they are dry and burned in a DEFRA exempt stove approved for wood.
- Ready to Burn certified firewood – Logs with a moisture content of 20% or less, used in an approved appliance.
- Other dry, untreated firewood – Including suitable softwoods, provided the appliance is approved for that type of wood.
- Dry wood in a DEFRA exempt wood burning stove – Always follow the manufacturer's instructions and permitted fuel requirements.
What You CANNOT Burn
- Wood on an open fire – Even kiln dried logs cannot be burned in a traditional open fireplace within the Smoke Control Area.
- Logs in a non-exempt stove – Your wood burning stove must be specifically DEFRA exempt for burning wood.
- Wet, green or freshly cut logs – These produce excessive smoke and should not be burned.
- Painted, varnished or chemically treated wood – Including old fence panels, treated pallets and painted furniture.
- MDF, chipboard or household waste – These can release harmful pollutants when burned.
Kiln dried firewood also helps protect your chimney lining and will produce far more heat for longer than any other kind of wood. Here is an example of a modern wood burning stove operating efficiently with minimal smoke.
Approved Smokeless Fuels
If you have an open fire or other appliance you must only use approved smokeless fuels in Exeter's smoke control area (unless using kiln dried firewood in a DEFRA approved wood burning stove as described above). Typically these are referred to as 'smokeless coal'.
We sell and deliver three main types of smokeless coal to customers in Exeter and they are all approved smokeless fuels for use in the smoke control area:
Welsh Anthracite
Welsh Anthracite is a naturally occurring, extremely hard type of coal traditionally mined in the South Wales coalfields. It has a very high carbon content and contains very little volatile matter, which means it burns with an intense heat, a relatively small flame and very little visible smoke. Unlike traditional house coal, anthracite is classified as an inherently smokeless fuel.
Anthracite is approved for use throughout Exeter's Smoke Control Area, including in traditional open fireplaces, suitable multi-fuel stoves and solid fuel boilers. You do not need a DEFRA exempt stove to burn anthracite because the fuel itself is authorised. However, your fireplace or appliance must be designed to burn anthracite or other suitable mineral fuels. It should never be burned in a wood-only stove.
Anthracite can be a particularly good choice for heating your home because it produces a strong, steady heat and burns for a long time. It can take a little longer to establish a fire than ordinary coal, and it generally requires a good supply of air from underneath the fire through a suitable grate.
If you live in Exeter's Smoke Control Area and have an open fireplace or a suitable multi-fuel stove, Welsh Anthracite is an excellent alternative to traditional house coal. It provides long-lasting heat while producing considerably less visible smoke, helping to reduce smoke pollution across the city.
Charles Swann Superflame Smokeless Coal
Charles Swann Superflame is a premium manufactured smokeless coal, supplied in convenient 20kg bags. Unlike naturally occurring Welsh Anthracite, Superflame is manufactured into consistently sized ovoid briquettes designed to produce an intense, long-lasting heat with very little smoke. It has a low sulphur content and produces relatively little ash, making it an excellent choice for heating your home.
Superflame is an authorised smokeless fuel that can legally be burned throughout Exeter's Smoke Control Area. It is suitable for traditional open fireplaces and multi-fuel stoves designed to burn mineral fuels. Because Superflame is an authorised fuel, you do not need a DEFRA exempt appliance to use it, although your fireplace or stove must be suitable for burning smokeless coal.
One of the biggest advantages of Superflame is its excellent heat output and long burning time. Once established, the fuel glows red hot and provides consistent warmth for extended periods without needing constant attention. It produces very little visible smoke and is designed to burn without the excessive sparking and spitting associated with traditional house coal.
If you live in Exeter's Smoke Control Area and have an open fireplace or suitable multi-fuel stove, Superflame Smokeless Coal is an excellent choice. Available from Devon Logs in 20kg bags, it combines powerful, long-lasting heat with low-smoke combustion, helping you keep your home warm while complying with Exeter's smoke control regulations.
Frequently Asked Questions
Not necessarily. Exeter has designated Smoke Control Areas, and the restrictions depend on whether your particular property falls within their boundaries. You can use our postcode checker on this page as a guide, or consult the <a href="https://uk-air.defra.gov.uk/data/sca/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">official DEFRA Smoke Control Area map</a>. For definitive confirmation, contact Exeter City Council.
Yes. You can burn kiln dried firewood in Exeter's Smoke Control Area provided you use a DEFRA exempt wood burning stove that is approved for burning wood. The logs should be dry and untreated, and you must follow the stove manufacturer's instructions. You cannot burn ordinary firewood in a traditional open fireplace within the Smoke Control Area.
If your property is within Exeter's Smoke Control Area, you cannot burn ordinary wood on a traditional open fire. This applies even to premium kiln dried logs with very low moisture content. Instead, you should use an authorised smokeless fuel suitable for your fireplace, such as an approved smokeless coal product.
Check the manufacturer and model of your stove against the <a href="https://smokecontrol.defra.gov.uk/exempt-appliances/?country=england" target="_blank" rel="noopener">official DEFRA exempt appliances register</a>. You can usually find the model details on your stove's identification plate or in its documentation. Remember that a modern Ecodesign compliant stove is not necessarily DEFRA exempt. You must also check that its exemption permits burning wood.
No. Ready to Burn certification confirms that firewood meets the required moisture standard of 20% or less, but it does not override Smoke Control Area restrictions. Within Exeter's Smoke Control Area, even Ready to Burn certified kiln dried logs must be burned in a DEFRA exempt appliance approved for wood. Properly dried logs generally burn more efficiently and produce less smoke than wet or freshly cut timber.
You can burn authorised smokeless fuels, provided they are suitable for your fireplace or heating appliance. These include approved manufactured smokeless coal products and naturally smokeless fuels such as anthracite. Devon Logs supplies <a href="https://devonlogs.co.uk/smokeless-coal">smokeless coal</a> to customers in Exeter, including Welsh Anthracite and Charles Swann Superflame Smokeless Ovoids. Always check the fuel packaging and your appliance instructions before use.
Yes. Anthracite is classified as an inherently smokeless fuel and is permitted throughout England's designated Smoke Control Areas. Welsh Anthracite has a high carbon content and burns with intense, long-lasting heat and relatively little visible smoke. It is particularly suitable for compatible multi-fuel stoves, solid fuel cookers and other appliances designed to burn anthracite. Always follow the appliance and fuel manufacturer's instructions.
Yes. Charles Swann Superflame Smokeless Ovoids are an authorised manufactured smokeless fuel listed on the DEFRA register under reference MSF0265. They can legally be burned within Exeter's Smoke Control Area in suitable appliances. Superflame is designed to produce strong, long-lasting heat with low visible smoke emissions. Devon Logs supplies Superflame in convenient 20kg bags.
No. Traditional bituminous house coal is not an authorised smokeless fuel for use in an ordinary fireplace or non-exempt appliance within Exeter's Smoke Control Area. The sale of traditional house coal for domestic burning is also prohibited throughout England. Instead, choose an authorised manufactured smokeless fuel or inherently smokeless anthracite that is suitable for your appliance.
If smoke is emitted from your chimney within Exeter's Smoke Control Area, the local authority can issue a financial penalty of up to £300. You can also face a fine of up to £1,000 for buying unauthorised fuel intended for use in a non-exempt appliance within a Smoke Control Area. The simplest way to comply is to use an authorised smokeless fuel in a suitable appliance, or dry firewood in a DEFRA exempt stove approved for burning wood.
Delivery Info
Spend £400 for free delivery
Standard delivery costs £45 anywhere in Devon from Plymouth to Axminster, Barnstaple to Lyme Regis. Our delivery partner Gregory Distribution will deliver your logs. Please discuss vehicle access with our team if challenging.
