SUPERMARKETS in Taunton town centre are “temporarily” removing disposable barbecues from sale following calls to ban them due top risks of wildfires during the ongoing heatwave.
With the country facing another heatwave, and the Met Office issuing an ‘extreme heat’ warning, there were calls to ban BBQ as they were deemed too dangerous given the dry countryside and the high temperature.
The County Gazette recently reported on an MP calling on the items to be banned as they could cause fire in the current heat.
A spokesperson for Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service said: “We are seeing higher instances of wildfires at this time of year. Whilst we are well resourced to deal with wildfires, we do need the public to play their part to reduce the likelihood of them happening.
“Most wildfires are started by human behaviour – a BBQ, campfire, discarded cigarette, or glass lying on dry ground magnifying the sun’s rays.
“They can also sometimes start due to a bonfire, campfire or BBQ (which was intended to be controlled) getting out of control.
“We’re not telling the government to ban disposable BBQs, as we’re not the policy makers.
“However, some supermarkets such as Marks and Spencer, Aldi, and Waitrose have stopped selling disposable BBQs due to their dangers.
“We thank them for that, and we would encourage others to follow suit. People are starting to understand the dangers of disposable BBQs.
“The base gets very hot, and as the ground is very dry at the moment. This can be enough to cause a fire. They are also damaging to the environment because they can’t be recycled."
Tesco, Lidl, Morrisons, and Sainsbury's explained they will pause the sale “temporarily” or “until further notice”.
On Thursday, August 11, Tesco and Lidl supermarkets in Taunton, Castle Street, had disposable barbecues on sale in their stores.
The items were later removed from both stores.
On Sainsbury's website, disposable barbecue items are now "out of stock".
A Morrisons spokesperson said: "In March we announced the removal of disposable barbecues from all of our stores within one mile of National Parks to help prevent wildfires.
"In light of the long dry spell in the UK this summer we are temporarily removing disposable barbecues from all stores until further notice."
A Sainsbury’s spokesperson said: “As a precautionary measure we are removing from sale all disposable barbecues until further notice.
“Safety is our highest priority and we have made this decision due to the hot and dry weather that we are currently experiencing across the country. We will continue to closely monitor the situation and listen to customer feedback.”
A statement from Tesco read: “In recent years we’ve removed disposable barbecues from sale in stores near areas of outstanding beauty, such as the New Forest, in response to specific local concerns.
“In light of the ongoing heatwave and dry conditions, we’ve now made the decision to temporarily pause the sale of disposable barbecues across the UK.
“We know these products are popular with our customers and they’ll be back on shelves once weather conditions make it safer to do so.
“We will continue to offer small metal portable BBQs as an alternative for our customers.”
A Lidl GB spokesperson said: “Given the ongoing weather conditions we have taken the decision to temporarily remove disposable barbecues from sale.”
Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service's key safety messages are:
- Discarded cigarettes are a wildfire risk. Make sure you completely put them out.
- Do not use disposable BBQs. The base gets very hot, and the ground is very dry at the moment. This can be enough to cause a fire.
- If you must use a bbq, place it on something flat which won’t catch alight, such as a stone/paving slabs. Be mindful of sparks and think about the surrounding area.
- Always keep a large source of water near you.
- Clear up litter. Leaving litter, in particular glass bottles, on grass is antisocial but is also a fire risk. The glass magnifies the sun’s rays and can cause fires.
- Please avoid bonfires at home at the moment. There is a risk they will spread and get out of control very easily.
For more information visit Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service dsfire.gov.uk
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