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Hedgehogs and Bonfires: Check the Whole Pile Before Lighting
A branch pile can look unused while offering a sheltered hiding place underneath. Before a November bonfire, give the wildlife check a named person and a place in the plan. It should happen before lighting, while there is still time to stop and change the arrangements.
Decide whether the fire is needed
The British Hedgehog Preservation Society asks people to consider alternatives, including attending a community event. For a garden gathering, separate the social occasion from disposing of branches. Material can often be dealt with another way rather than becoming a fire simply because it is already piled up.
Tell everyone involved what has been decided. A pile marked for later checking should not be lit by someone arriving early. Keep matches and fire-lighting arrangements under the control of the person responsible for the event.
Keep collection and burning sites separate
BHPS advises building on the day and moving collected material to a new, clear site just before burning. Plan room to do that before you start collecting. If the pile has been standing for days, inspecting only its visible outside is not an adequate substitute.
Allow enough daylight and time for a careful check. Do not leave the task until people are waiting in the garden and everyone is keen to get started. If you cannot carry out the checks safely and thoroughly, postpone the fire.
Check without stabbing into the pile
Inspect all of the material, including the centre and base, using a torch. BHPS recommends gently lifting sections with a pole or broom handle, rather than a fork or spade that could injure a hidden animal. Look and listen, and stop if anything is found.
Keep children, pets and spectators away from the work area. The person checking needs space and enough light to see what they are doing. A quick walk around the perimeter after dark does not provide that view.
Have a plan for a hedgehog you find
Read the linked BHPS instructions before the event and have its contact details available. Those instructions describe temporary safe containment away from the festivities and release after the event. An injured or unwell animal needs rescue or veterinary advice; do not simply move it into another exposed corner and continue.
Prepare suitable gloves, a towel and a secure ventilated box in advance if needed. Never put a hedgehog in a vehicle or shed that will become dangerously hot, and never take it away to release in an unfamiliar area as a convenience.
Make the final decision explicit
After moving and checking the whole pile, the responsible adult should decide whether it is safe to proceed. BHPS advises lighting from one side so anything missed has an escape direction. This does not remove the need for the preceding checks.
Keep the wildlife check on the plan for every fire, including smaller garden-clearance fires at other times of year. The useful habit is a clear sequence with time to stop, rather than relying on remembering one warning on Bonfire Night.