Prime Minister Andy Burnham said Wednesday that all UK retailers should stop selling disposable barbecues to prevent further wildfires during an extreme heatwave.
The request comes as the United Kingdom faces a period of exceptionally hot and dry weather. Government officials said these specific products increase the risk of igniting vegetation in drought-stricken areas.
Burnham called on "all retailers big and small" to cooperate with the emergency request. He said businesses should "withdraw the sale of disposable barbecues" to protect the landscape and public safety.
The Prime Minister's appeal follows reports of wildfire activity in regions including South Wales and Ilkeston, Derbyshire. The government said the current weather pattern is a significant threat to rural and urban fringes alike.
Burnham is scheduled to chair an emergency COBRA meeting to coordinate the national response to the extreme heat warning. The meeting will address the deployment of resources to wildfire hotspots and the management of the ongoing drought.
While the request to retailers is not a formal legislative ban, it represents an urgent attempt to limit the availability of high-risk ignition sources. The administration said the combination of dry soil and high temperatures allows small sparks to escalate into uncontrollable blazes quickly.
Retailers have not yet issued a collective response regarding the timeline for removing the products from shelves. Burnham said the measure is necessary to reduce the burden on emergency services already stretched by the heatwave.
“"all retailers big and small"”
This move signals a shift toward preventative consumer restrictions during climate-driven weather extremes. By targeting disposable barbecues specifically, the UK government is attempting to mitigate human-caused ignition risks in a landscape made volatile by drought, reflecting a broader strategy of emergency risk management over long-term legislative change.
