Government weighs ban on disposable barbecues amid rising wildfire danger

During a Cobra briefing on extreme heat, Andy Burnham said the government is seriously contemplating a ban on single-use barbecues after fire officials identified them as a cause of recent wildfires driven by this summer’s dry conditions. The prime minister urged the public to refrain from using such grills at the moment, and a number of retailers have voluntarily withdrawn them from their shelves. Burnham delivered the message while visiting Stevenage, stressing the importance of caution in the countryside regarding both cigarettes and temporary grills.

The meeting gathered ministers from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the Home Office, the Department for Health and representatives of the Environment Agency. This gathering follows a similar Cobra session held in June to address heat-wave impacts.