The UK government is considering a ban on disposable barbecues following a series of wildfires linked to the devices, with Andy Burnham chairing an emergency Cobra meeting on the country's response to record temperatures and drought conditions that have spread across England and Wales.
UK government considering ban on disposable barbecues as wildfire risk rises amid drought
The UK government is considering a ban on disposable barbecues following a series of wildfires linked to the devices, with Andy Burnham chairing an emergency Cobra meeting on the country's response to record temperatures and drought conditions that have spread across England and Wales.
Nearly three-quarters of England and all of Wales have been officially declared in drought, creating conditions that increase the risk of fire spreading. The Met Office has issued an amber extreme heat warning for Thursday, with temperatures expected to peak in the mid-to-high 30s across the Midlands and south-east of England, with a possible high of 38C.
Speaking during a visit to Stevenage, Burnham said a disposable barbecue ban was something the government was 'certainly going to consider'. He said he wanted to leave the Cobra meeting with 'a loud and clear message' that people should take 'the greatest possible care' in the countryside regarding both cigarettes and disposable barbecues. He did not specify whether the government was considering a restriction on the sale of disposable barbecues, limitations on their use, or both.
Some retailers have already voluntarily stopped selling the devices. A Labour MP wrote to large retailers last week seeking to halt disposable barbecue sales for the remainder of the summer.
The Cobra meeting is being attended by ministers from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the Home Office, and the Department for Health, as well as the Environment Agency. A No 10 spokesperson said the government understood that firefighters, farmers, and NHS staff were all facing challenges connected to the weather.
This is the first emergency Cobra session on heatwaves this year to be chaired by Burnham. A previous meeting was chaired by officials. In June, under then-prime minister Sir Keir Starmer, the government announced that specialist firefighters would be stationed at key locations across England in response to wildfire risks, and encouraged fire forces to use a government fund to upgrade equipment.
Fire chiefs have said wildfires are becoming a 'recurring and growing feature of the risks facing our communities' amid a changing climate. Crews responded to 393 wildfires across England and Wales in July, described as the busiest month on record.
- The source does not specify which retailers have voluntarily stopped selling disposable barbecues or which Labour MP wrote to retailers.
- The source does not detail what specific measures, if any, were agreed upon at the Cobra meeting.
- The source does not include any response from retailers regarding the voluntary sales halt or the Labour MP's letter.
- The source does not clarify the legal or legislative mechanism by which a ban or restriction on disposable barbecues could be implemented.