Police are warning that they will consider opening criminal arson investigations if people abandon barbecues in the Lake District which then lead to wildfires.
Allerdale Police said since the hot weather arrived there have been wildfires caused as a result of discarded barbecues.
“Please be aware that being reckless of the disposing of your BBQ, which then causes damage, may lead to a criminal investigation of arson,” said police on social media.
“We respectfully ask everyone to be aware of the potential dangers and act responsibly.”
On Saturday, Keswick firefighters were called out to a discarded barbecue at Buttermere, and on Sunday one at Surprise View, overlooking Derwentwater, where a campfire had been set up.
Of the Buttermere fire, a spokesman said: “This fire was deep seated and tied crews up for five hours.” Just last week, the Keswick team and several other crews from Patterdale, Penrith and Appleby, were needed at Ullswater on Saturday, June 3, after a fire there was caused by an abandoned barbecue at Knotts Hill, Watermillock.
There have been calls for disposable barbecues to be banned from sale in the area, although visitors bringing them to the Lake District is difficult to legislate against, and there are concerns people would construct their own from raw materials.
The Met Office’s fire severity index currently ranks the Keswick area as having a high to very high chance of wildfire. It is compiled using information such as wind speed, temperature, time of year, and rainfall to produce a fire severity assessment.
