Prime Minister Andy Burnham has issued a plea to retailers, urging them to cease the sale of disposable barbecues in response to the heightened risk of wildfires exacerbated by the summer's prolonged droughts. He is appealing to all businesses, large and small, to voluntarily suspend sales during this period of extreme heat.

This call comes as the United Kingdom grapples with record-breaking temperatures and widespread drought conditions. Nearly three-quarters of England and the entirety of Wales have been officially declared to be in drought, creating an environment where fires can spread rapidly and unpredictably. The Met Office has issued an amber extreme heat warning, forecasting temperatures to reach the mid-to-high 30s, with a possibility of hitting 38C in certain regions.

Burnham stated that single-use grills have been identified as the cause of several recent fires, emphasizing that their use is particularly dangerous at this time. He stressed the importance of public caution when in the countryside, advising care with cigarettes and temporary barbecues due to the inherent fire risks they pose.

Looking ahead, Burnham indicated that the government will consider a potential ban on these single-use grills during the summer months. This consideration follows discussions at an emergency Cobra meeting focused on the nation's response to the ongoing heatwave. A number of major retailers and supermarkets have already voluntarily withdrawn disposable barbecues from sale under an agreement established in 2023 between fire chiefs and the British Retail Consortium.

This voluntary framework dictates that retailers should halt sales when an extreme heat event is imminent or in response to reasonable requests from local councils. Several local authorities, including Brighton and Hove and Fylde, have previously implemented bans on single-use grills in public spaces using public space protection orders. While defying such orders currently carries a fine of up to £100, this limit is slated to increase to £500.

In addition to the Prime Minister's appeal, a Labour MP recently wrote to major retailers requesting a halt to sales for the remainder of the summer. Liberal Democrat MPs have also voiced support for restrictions, and the National Farmers' Union has urged local councils to utilize public space protection orders to limit the use of disposable barbecues in public areas.

The emergency Cobra meeting, chaired by Burnham, included representatives from various government departments such as Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the Home Office, and the Department of Health, alongside the Environment Agency. This was the first such session chaired by Burnham this year, although officials had previously convened a Cobra meeting on heatwaves in June.

Earlier in the summer, the government had announced measures to bolster wildfire response capabilities, including positioning specialist firefighters in key locations across England and encouraging fire services to use government funds for equipment upgrades. The Green Party had also called for a Cobra meeting specifically on the heatwave challenges.

As the heatwave intensifies, the focus remains on mitigating the risks associated with dry conditions and preventing further wildfires, with disposable barbecues identified as a significant contributing factor.