AS THE UK moves from autumn to winter and energy prices remain a concern, people are looking for alternative ways to heat their homes, and those with wood burners may be stocking up on fuel for the first time this year.
Alternative fuel experts at Jefferson Gas have analysed data from Google to identify areas of the country that may be most reliant on wood-burning stoves and similar appliances for extra warmth this winter.
Steve Ferguson of Jefferson Gas said: “With energy costs as high as they are, a lot of people don’t want to turn the heating on just yet, but the idea of an open fire or a few logs in a burner might appeal a little more in terms of cost.
He added: “But they need to be aware of the additional risks that can come with heating your home that way.
“Unlike gas and electric heating sources, burning wood as fuel creates a much higher amount of fine particulate matter (PM) and other pollutants, which can have serious effects on your health.”
In October, the UK saw almost 2 million searches for keywords relating to wood burners and logs to use for heating. October saw 1,975,610 searches, which was a rise of almost 1 million from August’s figure of 994,710.
| Area | October 2025 |
| UK Total | 1,975,610 |
In Wales, Powys had the highest amount of searches, with 14,100 queries recorded. This was followed by Swansea and Cardiff with 12,710 and 12,490 searches, respectively.
| Top 5 | |
| Area | October 2025 |
| Powys | 14,100 |
| Swansea | 12,710 |
| Cardiff | 12,490 |
| Pembrokeshire | 12,450 |
| Wrexham | 11,640 |
Steve added: “There are a few things you can do to lessen the health risks from wood burning, such as using properly dried, ‘ready to burn’ certified wood which has less than 20% moisture, but people have to be aware that small particles of what they burn can drift back into the room, even if they can’t see it.
“Some appliances will be more efficient than others, and some wood sources may produce less pollutants, but the truth is that even when all measures are taken, burning wood is likely to be create more fine particulates and other toxins than gas or electric heating.”
The Government has been working to lessen the amount of fine particulate matter in local areas, released by chimneys, for example, and has set reduction targets for both ambient concentrations and the overall exposure to the population to be met by 2040. As of 2024, there had been a reduction of 25% in population exposure.
Steve said: “The reductions so far show that controls such as clean air zones and the restriction of low-quality, high-pollutant fuels are working, but as long as people are still using wood burning as a heating source, their homes, and the local area will continue to have higher concentrations of fine particulate matter than those with oil, electric or gas heating overall.
“Unfortunately, that means that the health risks will continue to exist for the time being.”
In October, the UK saw almost 2 million searches for keywords relating to wood burners and logs to use for heating. October saw 1,975,610 searches, which was a rise of almost 1 million from August’s figure of 994,710.
