EAGLE-EYED residents in Bradford are being urged to report dangerous bonfires before they get out of control.

As the fire service gears up for its busiest time of the year, it has teamed up with West Yorkshire Police and Bradford Council to warn people about the dangers that unauthorised bonfires can pose.

Anyone who sees out-of-hand blazes, or people fly-tipping their rubbish on top of bonfires, are being encouraged to dob in the culprits by calling 01274 431000.

Councillor Arshad Hussain, Bradford Council’s executive member for community safety, said: "Bonfire Night is a celebration of the nation’s history and traditions, not an excuse for people to get rid of their rubbish on the cheap.

"Council wardens will be looking out for fly-tipping and cracking down on culprits. Fly-tipped rubbish is not only unsightly but can be very dangerous if someone sets it on fire.

"We hope people will enjoy their bonfire celebrations but we urge everyone to behave responsibly and not cause problems for other people."

Tom Rhodes, Bradford Fire Service district prevention manager, said: "Please ensure that bonfires are situated away from buildings, sheds and fences and they are safely put out at the end of the night.

"This is the busiest time of year for firefighters, so it’s essential that everyone plays their part in keeping the community safe.

"Don’t leave rubbish to accumulate, as it can provide a temptation to arsonists. While firefighters are dealing with extinguishing a fire which has been set deliberately, they cannot respond to more serious incidents."

The district's biggest social landlord, Incommunities, said its tenants should not set fires on its areas of open land and has pledged to remove any being set up.

A spokesman for Incommunities said: "Bonfire night should be both fun and safe, but things can quickly go wrong in an uncontrolled setting.

"Incommunities customers should not have bonfires on our land due to a high risk of accidents and causing a nuisance to your neighbours, possibly breaching your tenancy agreement.

"Bonfires being built on our open land will be moved for safety reasons.

"That’s why we would urge all our customers to stay away from unauthorised bonfire events. Why take the risk when there are so many properly organised displays to enjoy?"

Meanwhile, the police are urging shopkeepers not to sell matches, lighters or fireworks to children.

Chief Inspector Sarah Baker, of Bradford District Police, said: "The period around bonfire night can see an increase in incidents of anti-social behaviour, particularly through the misuse of fireworks.

"We will be working closely with our partners to take preventative measures and combining this with robust enforcement."

- Are you planning an organised fireworks display for Bonfire Night? To get it included in our annual round-up of events, e-mail the details to newsdesk@telegraphandargus.co.uk.