UK government considers summer ban on disposable barbecues

Britain's government is contemplating a nationwide ban on disposable barbecues this summer as the country braces for another heatwave.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham has called on retailers to voluntarily halt sales of the popular summer item, citing the significant fire risk they pose. Disposable barbecues can remain dangerously hot long after they appear to be extinguished, increasing the chance of accidental fires.

The potential ban comes as Britain faces another period of extreme heat, with temperatures forecast to reach up to 38 degrees Celsius. This follows the hottest summer on record in the UK last year, a trend attributed by the BBC to human-caused global warming.

In 2022, during a period of drought, the retail industry agreed to a voluntary code of conduct to stop selling disposable barbecues during acute fire danger. However, a general ban was not considered at that time.