Keep Scotland’s emergency workers safe across bonfire season.

We've launched a campaign to help prevent attacks on Scotland’s emergency services during fireworks season.

Supported by Scottish Government’s Building Safer Communities, the campaign aims to help prevent deliberate fires and Bonfire Night attacks on Scotland’s Police, Fire and Rescue and Ambulance services.

In 2024, Scotland’s emergency crews experience planned attacks across the bonfire season. 

Last year's Crimestoppers’ campaign generated a wealth of information given anonymously to us, which prevented at least one extremely serious attack on emergency crews in Scotland.

This campaign aims to encourage reporting from the public about any planned attacks and help gather information after Bonfire Night about who was responsible.

Give information anonymously

Communities who experienced an increase in firework attacks are being equipped with leaflets, posters, and banners to raise awareness of the law around fireworks misuse and help gather information about who is responsible.

"Our charity believes everyone has the right to feel safe, none more so than Scotland’s emergency services who risk their lives to keep us safe. Information from last year prevented a serious attack on our emergency services. That’s why we are asking anyone with information on those planning attacks to get in touch with our charity, 100% anonymously. 

No-one will ever know you contacted us, and your information could be preventing serious injury or harm or even loss of life for emergency workers."

Angela Parker, National Manager for Crimestoppers in Scotland

If you know or suspect who's planning attacks on emergency crews during bonfire season, tell us what you know - 100% anonymously. Guaranteed.

Give information anonymously

Fireworks laws in Scotland

• Age: you must be 18 or over to buy most fireworks.
• Times: normally between 6pm–11pm (midnight on Bonfire Night; 1am on New Year’s Eve, Diwali and Chinese New Year).
• Places: fireworks can’t be set off in the street, in parks, or in Firework Control Zones.
• Offences: It’s illegal to sell, buy or supply fireworks to under-18s, to throw or set off fireworks in public areas like parks, streets or roads, or to cause unnecessary suffering to animals.
• Local councils may also designate Firework Control Zones, and Police Scotland can introduce Dispersal Zones in areas where antisocial behaviour is a problem.

Firework Control Zones

Local councils have powers to set up Firework Control Zones to restrict the use of fireworks. In these zones, only organised public displays can take place and the least powerful (category F1) fireworks like sparklers can be used by individuals.  It is a criminal offence for members of the public to use more powerful fireworks in these new zones, including on private property. 

There are maps in each of the council areas -  3 zones  in Glasgow  Fireworks Control Zones (FCZ) - Glasgow City Council  and 9 in Edinburgh Firework control zones – The City of Edinburgh Council.