UK considers disposable barbecue ban amid wildfire risk

The British government is considering a ban on disposable barbecues as wildfire risks escalate amid this summer's prolonged droughts. Prime Minister Andy Burnham indicated that single-use grills have been a factor in several recent fires, urging people to avoid using them "at this moment in time."

Some retailers have already voluntarily stopped selling the devices, which fire chiefs have previously warned about. The consideration of a ban comes as Burnham chairs an emergency Cobra meeting to address the government's response to record high temperatures experienced in recent months. Nearly three-quarters of England and all of Wales have been officially declared to be in drought, creating conditions highly conducive to fire spread.

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single-use grills had been behind a number of recent blazes and people should not be using them "at this moment in time".

The Met Office has issued a rare amber extreme heat warning for Thursday, with temperatures expected to peak in the mid-to-high 30s Celsius across the Midlands and southeast England, with a possibility of reaching 38C. Speaking during a visit to Stevenage, Burnham stated that a disposable barbecue ban is something the government is "certainly going to consider." He emphasized the need for people to exercise extreme care in the countryside, regarding both cigarettes and temporary barbecues known to pose fire risks.

Burnham did not specify whether the proposed restriction would target the sale or use of disposable barbecues. A Labour MP had previously written to major retailers urging them to cease sales for the remainder of the summer. The National Farmers Union has also called on local councils to implement public space protection orders to limit their use in public areas.

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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.