The United Kingdom government is considering a ban on disposable barbecues as the country faces heightened wildfire risks following months of drought and extreme heat.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham said single-use grills had been linked to several recent wildfires and urged people to avoid using them “at this moment in time”.
Speaking during a visit to Stevenage, Burnham said the government was “certainly going to consider” banning disposable barbecues as part of efforts to reduce the threat of fires.
“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,” he said.
However, Burnham did not clarify whether the government was considering a nationwide ban on the sale of disposable barbecues or restrictions on their use.
The comments came as Burnham chaired an emergency Cobra meeting to discuss the government’s response to the country’s prolonged heat and drought conditions.
Nearly three-quarters of England and the whole of Wales have been officially classified as being in drought, leaving large areas particularly vulnerable to rapidly spreading wildfires.
The Met Office has also issued an amber extreme heat warning for Thursday, with temperatures expected to reach the mid-to-high 30s across parts of the Midlands and south-east England. Temperatures could climb as high as 38C.
Some retailers have already voluntarily removed disposable barbecues from their shelves following growing concerns over their contribution to wildfire outbreaks.
Fire chiefs have previously warned about the dangers posed by the grills during hot and dry conditions.
A Labour MP also wrote to major retailers last week urging them to stop selling disposable barbecues for the remainder of the summer, while several Liberal Democrat MPs have supported restrictions.
The National Farmers Union has called on councils to introduce public space protection orders to limit the use of disposable grills in public areas.
Councils including Brighton & Hove and Fylde in Lancashire have previously used such orders to prohibit single-use barbecues.
Those who breach the restrictions can face fines of up to £100.
The government has also stepped up preparations for wildfires, with specialist firefighters deployed at strategic locations across England and fire services encouraged to use government funding to improve equipment.
Fire chiefs have warned that wildfires are becoming a “recurring and growing feature of the risks facing our communities” as the climate changes.
Fire crews responded to 393 wildfires across England and Wales in July, making it the busiest month on record.
The Cobra meeting was attended by ministers from the departments responsible for the environment, home affairs and health, alongside the Environment Agency, as authorities assess the wider impact of the extreme weather.
