Bonfire Night 2026 falls on Thursday, 5 November. Here’s the UK weather forecast, the midnight fireworks curfew and RSPCA tips to keep dogs, cats and rabbits calm.
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Bonfire Night 2026 falls on Thursday, 5 November. Here’s the UK weather forecast, the midnight fireworks curfew and RSPCA tips to keep dogs, cats and rabbits calm.
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Bonfire Night falls on Thursday, 5 November 2026, and across the UK it should be a chilly, mostly cloudy but largely dry evening for fireworks. Fireworks are legal until midnight tonight rather than the usual 11pm, which means a long, loud night for many dogs, cats and rabbits. Here is what to expect from the weather, the rules on setting off fireworks at home, and the steps animal welfare experts say make the biggest difference for frightened pets.
Bonfire Night, also called Guy Fawkes Night, marks the failure of the Gunpowder Plot of 1605, when a group of conspirators planned to blow up Parliament. Guy Fawkes was caught guarding the gunpowder beneath the House of Lords, and Parliament later passed a Thanksgiving Act marking the day. UK Parliament’s history of the Gunpowder Plot covers the full story. More than four centuries later, the date is still celebrated with bonfires, organised displays and garden fireworks, and many towns spread their events across the following weekend.
According to BBC Weather’s Bonfire Night forecast, high pressure is keeping significant rain away, so most of the UK should stay dry but rather cloudy. A few showers or patches of drizzle are possible, especially in south-west England, northern England, Northern Ireland and eastern Scotland.
Evening temperatures are expected to drop into single figures for most places, which is around the seasonal average. That is a big change from 2025, when parts of southern England stayed above 14C and several weather stations recorded their warmest Bonfire Night on record. Cloud should prevent frost in most places, although sheltered spots in the north could see a touch of frost where skies clear.
Mist and fog may form over hills and possibly at lower levels, and bonfire smoke can make visibility worse. BBC Weather says fog becomes more likely into the weekend, when many displays are still planned, along with celebrations for Diwali on Sunday, 8 November. If you are driving to a display, allow extra time.
Under UK law, nobody may set off fireworks between 11pm and 7am, with a few exceptions. According to GOV.UK’s guide to fireworks and the law:
Breaking the rules can mean an on-the-spot fine of £90, and illegal selling or use can lead to an unlimited fine and up to six months in prison. Councils may also have their own local rules, so it is worth checking before you plan a garden display.
This year London Fire Brigade teamed up with the RSPCA to ask people to choose organised displays over home fireworks. The Brigade says it responded to 117 firework-related calls and incidents in 2025, 30 per cent more than in 2024, and its control officers handled 809 emergency calls on Bonfire Night last year, up from 677 the year before. The figures come from London Fire Brigade’s Bonfire Night appeal.
The same appeal cites an RSPCA survey in which 66 per cent of respondents said backyard displays are a major concern because of their impact on pets, and 35 per cent of adults said they had avoided private displays to protect animals. If you do use fireworks at home, the Brigade’s advice is to tell your neighbours in advance, keep pets indoors, follow the manufacturer’s instructions and finish by 11pm on most nights of the year.
The RSPCA’s fireworks advice for pet owners says almost two-thirds of dog owners in a 2025 Savanta poll reported that fireworks had affected their dog. Dogs can hear sounds about four times further away than people can, so even distant displays can be frightening. A dog that already struggles when left alone, the kind of dog owners often look into a good dog daycare for, may find the noise especially hard.
Signs of stress can be subtle, such as heavy panting and yawning. Calm, friendly breeds are not immune either; even a gentle companion dog like the Cavapoo can be thrown by sudden bangs. If your dog’s fear is severe, the RSPCA recommends speaking to your vet, who can refer you to a clinical animal behaviourist.
The RSPCA says a cat’s hearing is about three times more sensitive than ours. Keep cats indoors after dark, block the cat flap, and give them plenty of hiding places, whether that is under a bed, in a wardrobe or somewhere high up. Let them hide and don’t try to coax them out.
Rabbits and guinea pigs kept in outdoor hutches are especially exposed. The charity advises bringing them indoors for the fireworks season if you can. If they must stay outside, cover hutches with blankets while leaving a gap for ventilation, or turn the hutch to face a wall, and give them extra bedding to burrow into. Keep bonded animals together, as separating them adds to their stress.
For any pet, the same home basics help: closed curtains, steady background sound and a secure house they can’t escape from. Our tips on making a noisy home quieter work for people and animals alike.
Yes. 5 November 2026 is a Thursday, so many organised displays are being held on Friday 6 and Saturday 7 November instead. Check your local council or venue for exact dates.
Midnight. On most other nights the legal cut-off is 11pm, while New Year’s Eve, Diwali and Chinese New Year have a 1am cut-off.
Most of the UK is forecast to stay dry but cloudy, with a few showers or drizzle in places such as south-west England, northern England, Northern Ireland and eastern Scotland. Temperatures will drop into single figures.
Speak to your vet first. The RSPCA says pheromone diffusers may help some cats and dogs and work best when started early, and in some cases a vet may prescribe medication.
The RSPCA suggests gradual desensitisation: play recorded firework sounds at a low volume, raise it slowly over time and reward your dog with treats. It takes time, so start well before the next fireworks season.
Featured image: Dornoch fireworks display, Bonfire Night 2021, Scotland, by Andrew Tryon via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0, cropped.
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