BBQ Safety and Forest Fires: How to Protect Your Property This Summer
Summer is the season for outdoor cooking. Gardens fill with friends and family, parks become busier, and disposable barbecues appear across the country.
Most BBQs end without incident. Unfortunately, some do not.
As temperatures rise and vegetation dries, the risk of grass fires and wildfires increases significantly. A single spark, a discarded disposable barbecue, or a poorly positioned grill can quickly escalate into something much more serious.
Understanding BBQ safety and forest fire risks can help protect your home, your community, and the surrounding environment.
Why Summer Increases Fire Risk
Many people associate fire damage with electrical faults or accidents inside buildings. However, during summer, outdoor fires become a growing concern.
Dry grass, hedges, fences, decking, and garden furniture all provide fuel for fires. Warm weather and a lack of rainfall create ideal conditions for flames to spread quickly.
Even a small barbecue fire can be difficult to control if the surrounding area is dry.
Common BBQ Safety Mistakes
Most barbecue-related incidents stem from simple mistakes.
Common examples include:
- Positioning a BBQ too close to fences or sheds
- Leaving a barbecue unattended
- Using accelerants such as petrol or paraffin
- Disposing of hot coals incorrectly
- Placing disposable BBQs directly onto the grass
These actions may seem harmless at the time, but they significantly increase the risk of fire.
Safe BBQ Practices
A few precautions can significantly reduce the risk.
- Position your barbecue on a flat, stable surface, away from buildings, fences, trees, and garden furniture.
- Keep children and pets away from cooking areas.
- Never leave a lit barbecue unattended, even for a few minutes.
- Keep water or a fire extinguisher nearby in case of an emergency.
- Once cooking is finished, allow the coals to cool completely before disposal.
The Growing Risk of Grass and Forest Fires
Wildfires are becoming more common in the UK.
Periods of hot weather, combined with dry vegetation, create conditions in which fires can spread rapidly. What starts as a small grass fire can affect woodlands, farmland, businesses, and residential areas.
Disposable barbecues are frequently linked to these incidents. Even hours after use, they can remain hot enough to ignite dry grass.
What To Do If a Fire Starts
If a fire starts and you cannot extinguish it immediately, move to a safe distance and call 999.
Do not attempt to tackle large fires yourself.
If the fire threatens buildings, leave the area and follow the advice of emergency services.
Quick action can prevent injury and reduce damage.
Fire Damage Doesn’t End With the Fire
Even when flames are extinguished, damage often persists.
Smoke spreads throughout properties. Soot settles on surfaces. Water used to fight the fire can cause secondary damage.
This is why professional restoration is often needed after a fire.
How ServiceMaster Restore Can Help
ServiceMaster Restore provides fire and smoke damage cleaning and restoration across the UK. Our teams respond quickly to assess damage, remove smoke contamination, and restore affected properties.
If your property has been affected by fire damage, call 0800 021 3970 or find your nearest ServiceMaster Restore business today.
