Will Bonfires hurt hives???

Two things...
1. They could be bothered by the light and come out at night.
2. Had some hives at some land that ended up having a couple of underbrush burns definitely farther away than yours. Smoke was present throughout the property. Don't know if it was the cause, but those hives just did not produce honey that spring/summer. Meanwhile, hives 5 miles away pumped it out.

If it were me, I'd pass on the bonfire near my hives.

I have had fires with in 30 ft of my hives and I burn leaves as close as 10 ft but I always try to burn when the wind is out of the north so the smoke cops don`t get me (that makes the smoke go away from the hives)

If they are not to big.

Are there going to be any drunk'n high school or college students nearby? . They might lean up against them, tip them over or get a vandalistic idea in their heads.

Wind direction seems most important rather than distance.

The Native Americans claimed that a good fire doesn't smoke much. A bad one will let everyone know there is a fire.

Never had problems with it. The only time I think a bon fire would effect the hive is if it became a part of it.

I have them about 30ft from mine. Never seen any issues, besides drunks burning up all my wood

How big of a bonfire? I've seen bonfires that would have melted the combs in a hive 30 feet away.

What are you burning? Some smoke can be pretty toxic. Burning untreated wood may be ok, but I would be careful burning trash materials like plastics.

Which way is the wind blowing?

Just yard stuff limbs, and papers... No Plastics....

never affected mine and they are about 20 ft away. I watch for the wind direction though. Last year, they got a heavy dose of smoke, and I did too as i was carrying the hive, getting stung the whole time, to an upwind location until the smoke dies down....it was a true southern hey ya'll watch this moment.....

I burn brush every spring and it's never been an issue. Most of the time, the bees are flying pretty good. We don't burn too near the hives or if it's windy of course.

I have a huge firepit about 40' from my hives. When I burn it is brush and stuff I cut from my property. I have had some serious burners down there, but like others have said I check the wind to make sure it is blowing out and not at my hives. And yes a good fire produces very little smoke, but lots of heat 30+ feet not to worry

THANKS GUYS!!! Appreciate the HELP!