Burnham to consider disposable BBQ ban amid heatwave and wildfire risk
Andy Burnham has said he will consider imposing a ban on disposable barbecues amid the risk of further wildfires as extreme heat continues to grip parts of the UK.
The Prime Minister will chair an emergency Cobra committee later on Wednesday in response to a prolonged spell of exceptionally hot and dry weather. Speaking to reporters, he said people should not be using single-use grills “at this time” amid a “significant problem” of wildfires in the south, where a blaze hit protected heathland in the New Forest, Hampshire. Nearly three quarters of England and the whole of Wales are in drought, heaping pressure on water resources for households, agriculture and the environment. And temperatures are set to climb as high as 38C in some parts of England on Thursday, with fire chiefs warning of an exceptionally high risk of wildfires in the fifth heatwave of a summer on track to be the UK’s hottest on record. On a visit to Stevenage earlier on Wednesday, Mr Burnham said: “You know, the wildfires I mentioned, many of them have been created by disposable BBQs, that people can take out. I understand why people want to go out and do that. “But we need to, in my view, have a situation where we almost just have a temporary ban on those things. We’re going to look at that issue today.” The Prime Minister said he was “certainly going to consider” a ban, adding: “I do believe we need to get the message out loud and clear. People should not be using those barbecues outside at this moment in time. “I don’t know yet what the remedy is, but I do want to leave the meeting today with a loud and clear message that we do want people to take the greatest possible care when they are out in the countryside, both in terms of cigarettes, but also those temporary barbecues that we know are causing risk of fires.” A key climate adviser has warned it “gets worse from here” until the greenhouse gas emissions – mostly caused by burning fossil fuels in power plants, vehicles, home heating and industry – behind global warming are cut to zero overall, known as net zero. Baroness Brown, who chairs the independent advisory Climate Change Committee’s adaptation work, told the Press Association “we need to remember that this is as good as it gets”. “It gets worse from here. Until we get to net zero, things go on getting worse,” she warned, as she also urged the Government to take steps to help the UK adapt to rising temperatures, such as air conditioning in hospitals, schools and for vulnerable families. In the latest heatwave, rare amber “extreme heat” warnings have been issued by the forecaster for London and parts of the South East, East Midlands, East of England, West Midlands and South Yorkshire from 9am to midnight on Thursday. Phil Garrigan, chairman of the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC), gave his backing to measures to curb the sale of disposable barbecues, as the “current wildfire risk remains exceptionally high”. He added: “We all need to do what we can to reduce the risk of preventable fires – one small spark can be all that is needed to start a wildfire with the conditions as they are. “We have worked closely with retailers to encourage the temporary withdrawal of disposable barbecues from sale and welcome the Government exploring further measures. “Alongside this, we are exploring the introduction of a temporary ban on ‘outdoor fires’ in areas facing the highest wildfire risk. “Clear, time-limited restrictions, backed by direct public alerts, would help people understand when the risk is greatest and support a consistent approach to preventing fires before they start.” Temperatures could hit 33C on Wednesday before potentially reaching highs of 37C or 38C on Thursday, the Met Office said. Most major UK supermarkets suspended sales of disposable BBQs in recent weeks, in line with voluntary guidance from the NFCC. Inga Becker-Hansen, product safety policy adviser at the British Retail Consortium, also said: “Retailers will continue to work with local authorities to reduce fire risks and encourage the public to exercise personal responsibility when using disposable BBQs.” Jon Pearce, the Labour MP for High Peak in Derbyshire who has campaigned for legislation to prevent the use of single-use grills in public spaces, said the prospect of a ban was “hugely welcome”. He said: “(The Prime Minister) is right that the message needs to go out loud and clear that people should not be using disposable barbecues in public places at this time. “I am grateful to all the national retailers who supported my campaign to suspend the sale of disposable barbecues this summer. “But we need to be in a better place next summer. Last year was the worst on record for wildfires. This year will surpass it.” Reiterating his call for a ban on the use of disposable BBQs in public places, Mr Pearce said: “With the Prime Minister’s support on this, we can reduce the risks of wildfire and protect our precious environment.” Some 966 wildfires have been responded to across England and Wales this year, including 185 in the first 10 days of August alone, the NFCC has said. Crews from Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service have been battling a blaze on protected heathland in the New Forest, which started after a van caught fire on the A31 near Ringwood on Sunday. Firefighters continued to work through the night to contain the fire and manage hotspots, the service said on Wednesday. A statement said: “Challenging terrain and limited access to the remote location continue to make firefighting operations difficult, and the high temperatures forecast for today are expected to add to those challenges.” Southern Water has applied for a rare drought order which would ban businesses from non-essential water use, including cleaning cars and filling non-domestic swimming pools, saying an “exceptional” lack of rain has threatened supplies in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. It warned that 165,000 people in the Southampton West supply area could face restricted supplies. Environment Secretary Angela Eagle will decide on the application, which would be the first such ban since May 2006. The Environment Agency said 71.3% of England is now experiencing “flash drought”, as a dry start to August followed the country’s driest July on record.
Published: by Radio NewsHub