Wood-burning stoves have become a trendy must-have for people looking to give their homes some rustic charm. However, while many Brits have invested in these appliances, a nurse has called for them to be banned after fumes from a wood burner almost killed her.
Lizzie Jones, 32, was on a riverside walk when she spotted the chimney of a wood-burning stove poking out of a canal boat. The nurse, who suffers from severe asthma but was without her nebuliser at the time, was quickly struck down by a horrifying attack that left her minutes from death.
Speaking to the Daily Mail, Lizzie said, “A lot of people don’t understand the seriousness of asthma and how log burners can affect your health. We need to firstly raise awareness about the damage they do and then hopefully phase them out.”
She added, “It’s taken a massive toll on my mental health and confidence. I very often do not go out on my own because of incidents like that. It escalated so quickly and I’m just thankful that there were people that came over and helped.”
Recalling the terrifying attack, Lizzie explained how she stumbled back to her car but was barely able to speak to the 999 operators, managing only to say “asthma” before losing all speech. She pressed her car horn to alert passersby and was taken to the resuscitation department for urgent treatment, spending four weeks in hospital.
Unfortunately, her health has now deteriorated so much that she has been forced to leave her beloved job as a midwife and move back in with her parents.
Lizzie told the Mail, “It left me thinking, what kind of a life am I living? I used to do horse riding, running, and paddleboarding, none of which I can do anymore. I’ve lost complete independence and people just aren’t aware of the severity of asthma. Losing my independence was extremely isolating.”
She continued, “Most people think it’s a blue pump in PE at school, but I’ve been in intensive care four times and am now on steroids and lots of other medication just to get by.”
Lizzie believes wood-burning caused her asthma to worsen into severe eosinophilic asthma five years ago. This is a more severe condition caused by high levels of blood cells called eosinophils in the airways that create inflammation.
She was shocked to find a log burner lit so early in the day when her asthma attack happened, as she usually ventures out early to avoid the risk of encountering one. Despite living in Cheshire, an area outside the city where people assume most air pollution is concentrated, Lizzie says wood burners and lit fires in homes cause dangerous air pollution and health risks largely unknown to many.
### Wood Burning Stoves as Dangerous as Smoking
This comes after a recent study showed that wood-burning stoves can cause as much lung damage as smoking.
Dr Andy Whittamore, lead clinician at Asthma & Lung UK, explained, “Domestic burning is one of the largest sources of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), an invisible pollutant which is 30 times smaller in diameter than the average human hair and small enough to enter the bloodstream and lungs.”
He warned, “Exposure to wood-burning can cause and exacerbate lung conditions like asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). It is also linked to a whole host of other health issues, including heart conditions, strokes, dementia, and mental health problems.”
Dr Whittamore added, “The main reasons people use wood burners are for the aesthetic or because they believe it is cheaper than other forms of heating. Only 1 in 10 people using wood burners do so because they have no other alternative heating source.”
He stressed that many people are unaware of the dangerous health impacts, even from so-called eco stoves, which are 450 times more polluting than gas central heating.
“This is why we want the government to launch a public awareness campaign on the health impacts and sources of pollution to empower the public to make cleaner choices and protect lung health, and other people like Lizzie,” said Dr Whittamore.
### Research Linking Wood-Burning to Lung Damage
Lizzie’s case is one among a rising number of people presenting health complications from wood-burning stoves.
A new study presented at the European Respiratory Society Congress in Amsterdam showed that those who used wood stoves lost lung capacity more quickly than non-users, even though they tended to be wealthier, healthier, and less likely to smoke.
Scientists examined data from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing, tracking the health of thousands of people. They analysed repeated lung function tests over eight years, measuring FEV1 – the amount of air a person can forcefully exhale in the first second of a breath. Low FEV1 values are linked to higher risks of respiratory disease, disability, and early death.
Dr Laura Horsfall, Principal Research Fellow at University College London and the study lead, said, “Our study suggests that high levels of particulate matter from stoves damage respiratory tissues, causing inflammation in a similar way to cigarette smoke.”
She added, “We know wood burning at home emits harmful air pollution both indoors and outdoors, including known carcinogens. Despite this, air pollution from this source has approximately doubled in the UK since 2009 as more people install and use wood stoves.”
### Rising Popularity Amid Health Concerns
The findings suggest that the fashion for wood-burning stoves, often marketed as environmentally friendly, may be driving a hidden health problem.
A recent University College London analysis found that the number of UK homes with wood burners increased from 9.4% in 2022 to 10.3% in 2024, based on Energy Performance Certificates, despite growing concern about their health harms.
In Britain, domestic solid fuel — mainly wood but also coal — burned in stoves and fireplaces now produces a fifth of the country’s most dangerous fine particle pollution, known as PM2.5. This is five times the amount generated by vehicle exhausts.
Annual emissions from domestic wood burning have nearly doubled in just over a decade, rising from 3,200 tonnes in 2009 to 6,000 tonnes in 2023.
—
As the popularity of wood-burning stoves continues to rise, experts urge greater public awareness about the significant health risks associated with their use. Lizzie Jones’s harrowing experience highlights the urgent need for policies to protect vulnerable individuals and reduce pollution caused by these seemingly charming appliances.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-15170677/A-trendy-wood-burning-stove-killed-need-banned-anymore-damage.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ito=1490&ns_campaign=1490