Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service has issued safety advice for a summer of fun and to prevent the annual increase in fires during school holidays.
To keep safe especially during this season’s heatwave, prevention staff have given out a summer fire safety list.
They are urging people not to light bonfires during the “tinder dry” conditions and to be “extra vigilant” to prevent outdoor fires.
Matches and cigarettes must be put out safely and not discarded onto dry grassland and a warning has been put out about mirrors and glass, which reflect sunlight, and have the potential to cause fires in exceptional conditions.
Children should also be told about the dangers of fire in such unusually dry outdoor conditions, they say.
“As we continue to have warm temperatures and subsequently the grounds being very dry it is important to remind children about the dangers of playing with matches and lighters,” said Rabinder Dhami, Prevention Manager for Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service.
Some children have an unusual fascination with fires, says Rabinder, who recommended that parents who find evidence that their child may be setting fires should contact the specialist iLearn team at Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service who have experience of educating young people about fire safety.
Barbecue safety includes:
· Don’t drink too much alcohol when you are in charge of the barbecue or cooking
· Ensure the barbecue is well away from sheds, fences, trees, shrubs or garden waste.
· Never use petrol or paraffin to start or revive the barbecue only use recognised lighters or starter fuels on charcoal.
· Don’t leave a barbecue or any cooking unattended.
· Keep children, garden games and pets well away from the cooking area.
· Never use a barbecue indoors and keep a bucket of water, sand or a garden hose nearby for emergencies.
· Follow the safety instructions provided with disposable barbecues.
· Empty ashes onto bare garden soil, not into dustbins or wheelie bins where plastic can melt and start a fire.
For more information or advice on how to be safe with fire this summer, contact the fire and rescue service’s prevention department on 01743 260260 or visit www.shropshirefire.gov.uk
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