Firefighters are urging people enjoying their outdoor spaces this summer to ‘stay with it’ when using BBQs, fire pits and during garden gatherings, after recent years have seen an increase in the number of preventable domestic outdoor fires attended by crews.
As warmer weather brings people together outdoors, crews are warning that many incidents start not because something goes wrong, but during everyday moments where fires are left unattended, placed too close to combustible materials or not fully extinguished.
Over the past five years, our Service has attended around 500 fires in private gardens across Devon and Somerset, averaging almost 100 incidents every year.
We have also attended 45 fires caused by combustible materials being too close to a heat source, and more than 57 incidents where bonfires or other intentional outdoor fires got out of control. In addition, we responded to 30 fires caused by the disposal of hot materials, such as ashes that had not been fully extinguished.
Kate Saint, Head of Prevention at Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service, said: "Most of the fires we attend in the summer aren't caused by things going wrong - they happen during normal social occasions where people get distracted.
"You might step away from a BBQ for a few minutes, assume a fire pit has gone out, or dispose of ashes too soon. But it only takes a moment for a fire to start and spread. We're not asking people to stop enjoying the sunshine; we just want them to keep an eye on their fire, make sure it's positioned safely away from anything that could catch alight, and ensure everything is properly out before they leave it."
Through our 'stay with it this summer' campaign, we are encouraging people to take simple steps to stay safe by:
- staying with BBQs, fire pits and chimineas while they're in use
- keeping heat sources well away from fences, sheds, dry grass and other combustible materials
- never leaving bonfires unattended
- allowing ashes and embers to cool completely before disposing of them.
Find out more about the campaign and learn about staying safe in the garden.
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