What is the surest sign that the seasons have changed? It's not the leaves starting to fall, the kids going back to school or massive spiders appearing all over the place.
No, you know it's autumn when the tabloid newspapers start publishing sensationalist, clickbait headlines about log burners.
The Express are already at it with a headline this week shouting 'Log burner and wood burner law change under Andy Burnham on the table'.
The article goes on to talk about the Government Wood Burning Consultation that happened earlier this year, and presents every suggestion made in that consultation as if it's a new idea that's close to happening.
We've had a few customers worried about what it means for them, so as always, we're cutting through the dramatic headlines and bringing you the facts on what's actually happening.
Is Andy Burnham going to ban log burners?
No, Andy Burnham has given no indication that he's planning to ban log burners. Our new PM hasn't given his opinion on log burners yet (although the Express headline makes it sound like he has!) and it's unlikely he would take such a dramatic step.
The government wood burning consultation happened earlier this year, and none of the proposals in it went as far as banning wood burners.
What is the government wood burning consultation?
In January 2026, the government launched a consultation to invite everyone in the country to give their opinion on a few different proposals to potentially cut emissions from wood burning. These included:
- Stricter emission limits for new stoves
- Mandatory labeling on both new stoves and fuel packaging talking about air pollution
- Increased enforcement penalties for suppliers selling wet wood
We went into detail on these proposals, what they meant and whether we think they're a good idea back in February.
What is the outcome of the government wood burning consultation?
There isn't one yet! As of 13/9/26, the government website says that they are still reviewing the findings and that the outcome will be published 'soon'.
However, if you already own a log burner, especially a newer eco-design stove, and are burning properly dry wood, then the outcomes are unlikely to affect you.
If you're signed up to the Love Logs mailing list, we'll let you know when they publish their response.
Why do the media continue to scaremonger around wood burning?
They know it gets clicks! Wood burning can be a really emotive subject and it's understandable that people who have spent thousands on a log burner, and rely on it to heat their homes, are worried about any government regulation.
What we've seen over the past 6 - 7 years is that the government have generally been really sensible with the changes they have made to improve air quality when it comes to log burning. The majority of changes have focused on making sure new appliances are as efficient as possible, and that all firewood sold needs to meet a minimum standard around moisture content which we fully support.
We therefore encourage you not to panic when you see these emotional headlines, and to read what they're actually saying that you don't already know - the answer is usually 'not much!'
