Firefighters have issued a warning as Prime Minister of the UK Andy Burnham considers a disposable BBQ ban.
The UK Prime Minister has said he will consider imposing a ban on disposable barbecues amid the risk of further wildfires as the extreme heat continues.
Mr Burnham will chair an emergency Cobra committee later on Wednesday in response to a prolonged spell of exceptionally hot and dry weather.
Speaking to reporters, he said people should not be using single-use grills "at this time" amid a "significant problem" of wildfires in the south, where a blaze hit protected heathland in the New Forest, Hampshire.
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Nearly three-quarters of England and the whole of Wales are in drought, heaping pressure on water resources for households, agriculture and the environment.
And temperatures are set to climb as high as 38C in some parts of England on Thursday, with fire chiefs warning of an exceptionally high risk of wildfires in the fifth heatwave of a summer on track to be the UK’s hottest on record.
On a visit to Stevenage earlier on Wednesday, Mr Burnham said: "You know, the wildfires I mentioned, many of them have been created by disposable BBQs, that people can take out. I understand why people want to go out and do that.
"But we need to, in my view, have a situation where we almost just have a temporary ban on those things. We’re going to look at that issue today."
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The Prime Minister said he was "certainly going to consider" a ban, adding: "I do believe we need to get the message out loud and clear.
"People should not be using those barbecues outside at this moment in time.
"I don’t know yet what the remedy is, but 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."
This afternoon, Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service has also commented on the fire risk amid rising temperatures.
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In a warning to residents on social media site Facebook, a statement from the service said: "Recent wildfires across the UK have shown just how quickly a small fire can become a major incident.
"With the current hot, dry conditions, the risk of fire remains extremely high, so please do your part to help keep our communities safe.
"Do not light BBQs, campfires or bonfires in open countryside areas, and never discard cigarettes on the ground or from vehicles.
"Take all litter home, especially glass bottles which can focus sunlight and report signs of fire immediately by calling 999."
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