Barbecues ‘need safety warnings’
Warning after rise in wildfires across Yorkshire
FIRE: Disposable barbecues should carry safety warnings like those on cigarette packets, a union leader in Yorkshire has warned after increasing reports of wildfires.
The Fire Brigades Union said yesterday more people needed to be aware of the dangers of lighting the barbecues in public places.
DISPOSABLE BARBECUES should carry cigarette packetstyle safety warnings, a union leader in Yorkshire has warned after increasing reports of wildfires.
The Fire Brigades Union said yesterday more people needed to be aware of the dangers of lighting the barbecues in public places.
The throw-away grills have been found at the scenes of dozens of wildfires across Yorkshire in recent weeks, including one at a reservoir that destroyed nesting habitats for birds.
West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service warned the barbecues should not be used in public spaces and confirmed it could call for a full ban on sales in the future.
David Williams, the union’s regional secretary for Yorkshire and the Humber, said: “We would call for something being placed on the packages on these barbecues similar to cigarette packets.
“There should be responsible packaging on these things.
“We just need people to realise the damage that can be done.
“All it takes is a small gust of wind to relight it after someone has put it out and gone home.”
Crews have attended a series of wildfires in recent weeks, including at Buckstones on Marsden Moor and Digley Reservoir near Holmfirth, the second of which led to the discovery of a nest with unhatched eggs. Remnants of a barbecue were found at both sites.
Figures from the fire service showed there had been eight large-scale fires on moorland and heathland caused by barbecues since January 2019. This was not including smaller incidents.
Among them was a fire at Marsden Moor in April last year that destroyed nearly three square miles of peatland.
In the week leading up to last weekend, fire services in North Yorkshire were called to five incidents where disposable barbecues were found.
Some local authorities have made it illegal to hold barbecues on council-owned land.
Kirklees, Calderdale and Oldham councils have all previously approved public-space protection orders, which means anyone found barbecuing on moorland or public land can be prosecuted.
Mr Williams added: “For every one person that is irresponsible there are three or four who are responsible.
“For that reason, it is very difficult to say there should be a full ban on disposable barbecues but I totally agree there should be greater restrictions.”
The Yorkshire Post revealed in April that 135 wildfires burned out of control during the first six months of last year, according to data analysed by the Moorland Association.
The economic fallout from blazes on Saddleworth Moor and Winter Hill is estimated to have been £21.1m.