General advice

Barbecues 🌭

• Position on a level site away from wooden fencing, sheds, and hedges
• Don't place on dry grass or vegetation
• Use firelighters or barbecue fuel to light - never use petrol, paraffin etc.
• Never leave the barbecue unattended - keep children well away from the cooking area
• Fatty foods can cause the coals to flare up
• Never move a BBQ until it is cool. Make sure any remaining charcoal is cold before disposing of it thoughtfully.
• Keep water handy to deal with any unexpected spread of fire
• Make sure that alcohol doesn't affect your ability to act safely
• Make sure matches are extinguished before disposing of them
• Make sure the controls and cylinder valves of a gas barbecue are turned off before you change the cylinder in a well-ventilated area. Always check connections for leaks.
• When using barbecues in the countryside, always use designated areas

Bonfires 🔥

• Site well away from buildings, fences, trees and garden structures and keep a water supply handy
• Don't light on a windy day and be considerate to neighbours
• Never use flammable liquids to start the fire, keep it small, under control and attended

Refuelling garden equipment ⛽

• Refill garden equipment such as greenhouse heaters, petrol mowers etc. in the open air
• Take care when lighting heaters and never move whilst alight. Never place heaters near flammable materials.
• Deal with spills by allowing them to evaporate, soak into the ground or dress with an absorbent material
• Significant spills should be reported to the Environment Agency
• Always store flammable liquids in appropriate and properly marked containers, don't store large quantities. Make sure you use an appropriate container e.g. petrol can with a secure cap if you transport fuel.
• Never smoke when refuelling any equipment
• If your clothing catches fire - stop, drop and roll!

Garden candles and lanterns 🏮

• When using candles or flares, make sure they are firmly pushed into the ground
• Keep children and pets well away from naked flames and hot lanterns
• Extinguish candles, flares and lanterns when you have finished with them

Celebrations 🥳

• Please avoid any unnecessary bonfires
• Our advice is to attend an organised D-Day beacon event in your area
• Keep children and pets safe during the beacon celebrations by ensuring they are supervised with a clear boundary to stop them from getting too close

GFRS has the following safety advice to organisers of events:

• Undertake any risk assessments required and ensure everyone involved is familiar with your plans
• Consider the access and egress of fire appliances and other emergency vehicles, including water supplies such as buckets of water and fire extinguishers
• In the event of prolonged dry weather and prevailing winds that heighten the risks of wildfires, please carefully consider contingency plans, to include scaling back initial plans where appropriate
• Choose an appropriate location for your beacon, ensuring it is safe by being away from buildings, trees and flammable objects
• Never leave a fire unattended and always ensure that someone trained and responsible maintains a presence and monitors the fire
• Ensure supervised and clear boundaries are in place to prevent children and pets from getting too close