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Tinderbox alert and BBQ ban
The United Kingdom issued a nationwide emergency alert to England and Wales and imposed a temporary ban on the sale of disposable barbecues as drought and a prolonged heat wave pushed temperatures above 38 degrees Celsius.
“temperatures in excess of 38 degrees Celsius (100 degrees Fahrenheit)”
Prime Minister Andy Burnham warned on Friday, while visiting the scene of a fire in Stourbridge in the West Midlands region that destroyed 19 homes, that "Britain is a tinderbox right now".
The government’s alert told residents, landowners and visitors not to undertake any activity that could start a fire, including disposable barbeques, firepits, garden incinerators or fireworks.
The BBC reported that the public were urged not to light an open fires and to dispose of cigarettes carefully as the ban applied to England, Scotland and Wales but not Northern Ireland.
In the same BBC account, Burnham said 200 personnel were deployed to help emergency teams tackling wildfires around the country, with Gurkha logistics teams equipped with water tankers and military engineers assisting fire services in South Wales.
Emergency messages and officials
The emergency alert began arriving on phones at 7:00 p. m. local time on Friday, and the message said, "Existe un riesgo muy elevado de incendios forestales en todo el país".
In the West Midlands, Burnham told reporters in Stourbridge that "We’ve got 37 fires across England and Wales right now, four of them are major incidents".
The GOV.UK guidance said recipients would be urged to report any fire immediately by calling 999, and it said the alert would be sent on a rolling basis from approximately 19:00.
The BBC added that the message asked residents, landowners and visitors to not undertake any activity that could cause a fire "including disposable barbecues, firepits, garden incinerators of fireworks".
The BBC also reported that Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said the measures were "common-sense steps to protect lives and the environment."
Military support and what’s next
The BBC said Gurkha logistics teams with water tankers and military engineers were assisting fire services in South Wales, and it reported that Burnham promised more military personnel would be deployed elsewhere if needed.
“military assistance in South Wales where around 100 personnel have been immediately deployed”
NBC News reported that the U.K. does not have any firefighting planes, but Burnham said he would seek to commission some to “face up” to the “changing climate.”
The GOV.UK announcement said the Prime Minister deployed military assistance in South Wales where around 100 personnel have been immediately deployed, and it said a further 100 members of the Armed Forces would deploy this evening.
The BBC reported that a total of 1,017 wildfires have been recorded in England and Wales this year, matching last year’s record, while crews tackled blazes including a major incident near Llandovery, Carmarthenshire, after dozens of homes were evacuated and roads closed.
Looking ahead, the GOV.UK document said ministers would convene a national wildfire summit later this year bringing together fire chiefs, the National Fire Chiefs Council, the Fire Brigades Union and other partners to strengthen future preparedness and consider what additional capabilities may be required.
