PM urges shops to withdraw disposable barbecues over wildfire risk
PM urges shops to withdraw disposable barbecues over wildfire risk

The Prime Minister has urged retailers to withdraw disposable barbecues from sale in an effort to prevent wildfires as the heatwave continues.

Andy Burnham urged “all retailers big and small” to pull the barbecues from their shelves as he warned extreme heat conditions “could be with us for some weeks yet”.

His comments came after chairing a meeting of the Government’s emergency Cobra committee in response to the prolonged spell of exceptionally hot and dry weather.

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Record wildfire numbers

England and Wales have already seen as many wildfires this year as in the whole of 2025.

Some 1,017 wildfires have been recorded in England and Wales this year, according to data shared by the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC), the same as last year’s record-breaking total.

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