Fire Service Urges Safe Barbecuing as Heat Alert Extended

Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service is urging residents across the county to take extra care when barbecuing as an Amber Heat-Health Alert remains in force for the South East. Prevention Manager Nicola Smith reminded households that outdoor cooking carries similar risks to the kitchen.

“Just as you would when cooking in the kitchen, you need to take care when firing up your barbecues,” Smith said. The alert, issued by the UK Health Security Agency, runs until 9pm on Sunday 12 July and warns that health impacts are likely while water-related incidents are expected to rise. Firefighters are asking people to place barbecues on stable, level ground away from fences and sheds, keep children and pets at a safe distance, and have water or a bucket of sand ready in case flames get out of control.

Coals should be left to cool for at least 48 hours before they are thrown away, the service added. The warning lands as fire services across the south of England report that even a short spell of hot, dry weather can turn vegetation into fuel, sharply raising the risk of wildfires. Graeme Hartley, station manager at Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service, said heathlands and countryside become much more vulnerable during prolonged heat, with fires capable of spreading rapidly and threatening crops, wildlife, livestock, people and property.

Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service monitors fire risk using Natural England’s Fire Severity Index and works with landowners to reduce the chance of blazes in open areas. It covers roughly 488 square miles from Slough and Langley in the east to Lambourn and Newbury in the west, operating twelve wholetime and four on-call fire stations under the Royal Berkshire Fire Authority.