Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service have reiterated their appeal for people to not use barbecues or have campfires following another wheelie bin fire on Bournemouth’s coastline.
A petition to ban the use of disposable barbecues has been started online in the wake of the Wareham Forest fire, which has already received over 10,000 signatures.
Firefighters were called to Shell Bay Car Park to deal with a bin fire near the beach, the latest in a string of bin fire along the county’s coastline.
A spokesman from Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service said: “We received a call at 4:23pm on Wednesday about a wheelie bin fire on Ferry Road, Studland.
“A crew from Swanage attended the incident and found a disposable BBQ alight inside the bin.
“The fire was extinguished using one hose reel jet and the stop came at 4:57pm.”
The same crew were also mobilised to a garden bonfire that had spread to a tree and bushes on Friday afternoon.
Fire was extinguished using one hose reel jet.
This comes two days after fire crews were called to extinguish two bin fires on Bournemouth seafront within 24 hours, both believed to be started by disposable barbecues.
The fire service have increased the risk of wildfires to extreme, the highest possible level following a spate of woodland fires and beach fires.
Assistant Chief Fire Officer Byron Standen said: “We do understand that people want to enjoy the good weather while it lasts but it is vital that everyone takes sensible precautions while the ground and foliage is so dry – the destruction of Wareham Forest shows what can happen.”
“Please do not take a barbecue or have a campfire, maybe take a picnic instead. Just a moment’s thought could prevent a serious fire.”
Hazel Pittwood, who lives in Wimborne, set up an online petition to Dorset and BCP Council to ban the use of disposable barbecues in public areas in the wake of the Wareham Forest fire.
She said: “I know that 11 disposable barbecues were found on the site and, whilst they can’t be sure that these were the cause for the fire, the evidence is quite compelling.
“I used to work as a Heathland Mitigation Warden for Poole Council patrolling areas like Ham Common and Canford Heath and we would constantly find people with barbecues in these areas.
“As we didn’t have the powers to penalise them, we had to try and appeal to their good nature or give them the benefit of a doubt.”
Fire crews are still patrolling Wareham Forest as there have been cases where the fire has restarted.
Hazel has appealed to supermarkets to stop stocking disposable barbecues and to give warden increased powers to penalise people caught using barbecues or lighting fires in public areas whilst the risk level is at its highest.
She added: “Firefighters put in the equivalent of 13,000-man hours to put that fire out at Wareham Forest and had to call in support from as far away as South Devon and Wales.
“Over the bank holiday weekend, there were 18 more incidents of similar forest fires and bin fires on the beach
“With the weather as it is at the moment and the amount of people visiting the area, this is a huge hazard. There are better reusable options available, but people choose not to use them.”
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