Barbecues and Wildfire Risk in Dry Weather

A barbecue is one of the easiest ways for an ordinary household to start a countryside fire, and the risk is highest exactly when people most want to cook outside: hot, dry, settled weather. Fire and rescue services across the UK give the same core instruction. Use a barbecue only in a suitable and safe area, and never leave it unattended¹. During hot and dry weather, avoid bonfires and be extra careful with barbecues, because dry ground in the summer increases the risk of fire³.

If you are heading for open countryside, parks or moorland, the safest choice is to leave the barbecue at home. Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service advises people to avoid using disposable barbecues in open countryside, parks and moorland areas⁴, and Surrey County Council's countryside advice is blunt: swap the disposable BBQ for a picnic¹. A picnic is a safer option than a BBQ when visiting moorland and rural areas⁵.

If a fire does get away, the limit of what you should tackle is a bucket of water. Fire services say do not attempt to tackle fires that cannot be put out with a bucket of water; leave the area as quickly as possible and call 999⁶.

Only use a barbecue in a designated area, and never leave it alone

The instruction is repeated almost word for word by fire services in England, Wales and Northern Ireland: only use barbecues in suitable and safe areas, and never leave them unattended². Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service puts it in capitals in its Welsh-language guidance, and its English pages say the same¹¹. The reason is simple. An unattended barbecue is a fire with nobody watching it, and dry grass, leaves and shrubs nearby will take a spark.

Where you place it matters as much as whether you watch it. Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service advises placing disposable barbecues well away from the house, shed or fences³, and North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service says to keep a garden barbecue away from hedges, fences, sheds and anything else that can catch fire¹². Do not use disposable barbecues near or on public benches³: the bench, the dry grass around it and the litter beneath it are all fuel.

• Use a designated barbecue area, a suitable safe spot, or your own garden, well clear of anything that burns²
• Never leave it, not even for a minute, and never let children or pets near it²
• Keep it off dry grass, dry leaves, decking edges and public benches³
• Have a bucket of water or a garden hose to hand before you light it¹³

Some places go further than advice. Surrey County Council introduced a ban on selling or supplying disposable barbecues in August 2026 because of wildfire risk, with no set end date and enforcement by Trading Standards¹⁰. A number of retailers have already stopped selling disposable barbecues¹⁴. Bans and restrictions vary by council, park and landowner, so check the rules for the specific place you are visiting before you travel¹⁰.

Why a barbecue that looks out can still start a fire

The most common mistake is treating a barbecue as finished when the flames have gone. Fire services warn that seemingly extinguished bonfires and BBQs often pose a continued risk of causing wildfires⁸. The heat stays in the fuel and the metal long after the visible fire has died, and dry ground underneath or beside it can be warmed until it catches.

Disposable barbecues are a particular problem because they are designed to be thrown away. Humberside Fire and Rescue Service says disposable BBQs are often not put out properly, which can cause grass fires, especially in hot weather when the ground is dry¹⁴. Oxfordshire County Council warns that disposing of them before they have completely cooled can cause serious fires, putting people, wildlife and the environment at risk¹⁵. A barbecue that looks out is not the same as a barbecue that is cold.

There is a second, quieter route to a fire that has nothing to do with heat. Glass left in woodland or open spaces can start a fire when sunlight shines through it, which is why Sussex's emergency planning advice says do not leave bottles or glass in woodlands or outside spaces¹⁷. North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service asks visitors to take rubbish home, especially glass bottles, and to dispose of smoking materials safely⁵. If you take a barbecue out, take it home cold, and take your bottles and cigarette ends with it.

Hot, dry and windy weather: when the risk is highest

Dry ground is the factor that turns a small mistake into a wildfire. The Northern Ireland government advises that during hot and dry weather you should avoid bonfires and be extra careful with barbecues, because dry ground in the summer increases the risk of fire¹⁸. Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service says disposable barbecues and open flames can easily ignite dry grass and vegetation, particularly during periods of prolonged hot weather¹⁹.

Wind makes it worse. Wildfires can spread rapidly, change direction without warning and threaten people, homes, livestock and wildlife¹⁹, and they can spread quickly and threaten homes and infrastructure, particularly during warm, dry weather²⁰. Surrey County Council notes that wildfires are a particular risk during dry weather spells, when they can devastate wildlife and habitats as well as people and property¹.

The risk is not confined to remote moorland. Disposable barbecues and open flames can easily ignite dry grass and vegetation, particularly during periods of prolonged hot weather²¹. Disposable BBQs are often not put out properly, which can cause grass fires, especially in hot weather when the ground is dry²¹. Wildfires can spread quickly and threaten homes and infrastructure, particularly during warm, dry weather²¹.

Official warnings can arrive on your phone. If you get one, treat it as a direct instruction for the days ahead: no barbecues, no bonfires, no fireworks, nothing that makes a spark outdoors. During hot and dry weather, avoid bonfires and be extra careful with barbecues, because dry ground in the summer increases the risk of fire²¹.

How fast a wildfire spreads, and why you cannot outrun one

A countryside fire is not a large campfire. London Fire Brigade describes wildfires as uncontrolled and unpredictable, able to spread very quickly²². Essex's emergency planning guidance explains why: they can quickly spread over large areas due to dry conditions, wind, and the availability of flammable materials like grass, leaves and shrubs²³. North Wales Fire and Rescue Service says grass and gorse fires spread very quickly when grass and mountains become very dry in summer²⁴.

That combination of dry fuel, wind and slope is why fire services tell people not to try to outrun or fight a fire they have found. Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service says do not attempt to put the fire out yourself, because grass and crop fires can travel very quickly and change direction without warning⁹. Surrey County Council's advice if you see a fire in the countryside is to get far away from it, because it can spread incredibly quickly, and that your safety is the most important thing¹⁰.

The practical rule is to move early and move away, not to watch. If you are on a moor or heath and see smoke or flame, head for a road, a track or open ground you have already crossed, and keep going until you are well clear. Do not head uphill into wind, and do not stop to film. Our guide to what to do if you see or are near a wildfire sets out the steps in full, and the wider wildfires and grass fires page explains how risk is assessed.

If a fire gets away: a bucket of water is the limit

Every household barbecue should have water within reach before it is lit. The Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service advises keeping a bucket of water or garden hose nearby in case of emergencies, and repeats the same advice across its summer safety guidance¹³. It is a small thing that decides whether a flare-up stays a flare-up.

But the bucket is a limit, not a licence. Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service says do not attempt to tackle fires that can't be put out with a bucket of water, and to leave the area as quickly as possible⁶. The Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service gives the same instruction in its wildfire statement⁷, and Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service says do not attempt to put the fire out yourself⁹. If the fire is bigger than a bucket, or moving, or you cannot see its edge, it is already beyond what a household can safely handle.

In a garden, the same logic applies at a smaller scale. If a barbecue or fire pit flares and catches a fence or shed, use the water you have ready, and call 999 if it spreads beyond what you can put out. Keep the garden hose connected during dry spells, and keep the area around the barbecue clear of dry cuttings and rubbish. Our home emergencies guide covers fire in and around the house, and protecting your home and garden from a wildfire covers the longer-term steps for homes near open land.

Reporting a fire in the countryside: 999, ask for the fire service

If you see a fire in the countryside, report it immediately, leave the area as soon as possible and dial 999²⁹. Ask for the fire service and give your exact location⁸. The Northern Ireland government's advice is the same: if you see a fire in the countryside, phone the Fire and Rescue Service on 999¹⁶. Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service asks the public to alert the service to fires as early as possible via 999 calls⁹.

Location is the hard part in open country, so prepare for it. Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service advises getting to a safe place, noting the fire location (What3Words can help), calling 999, and meeting the Fire and Rescue Service at the entrance⁸. A what3words reference, a grid reference, a named car park or a postcode for the nearest building all help crews find the seat of the fire before it spreads.

• Call 999 and ask for the fire service⁸
• Give the exact location, using What3Words or a landmark if you can⁸
• Move to a safe place and meet crews at the entrance⁸
• Do not block tracks or gates with your car

Suspicious activity is worth reporting too. Surrey County Council asks people to report anti-social behaviour, campfires, large quantities of litter or fly tipping, use of disposable barbecues, broken gates, cropped locks, burning of waste material and arson¹⁰. If you see someone lighting a fire where they should not, or leaving a barbecue burning, report it to the police once any fire is dealt with.

Disposable barbecues, the Scottish Outdoor Access Code and controlled burning

Rules on disposable barbecues are a patchwork, and it pays to know which one applies where you are going.

In Scotland, Forestry and Land Scotland asks visitors to follow the Scottish Outdoor Access Code's advice and not start fires in woodlands³¹. The code is the framework for responsible access to the Scottish outdoors, and its camping guidance covers fires. In practice that means no campfires or barbecues among trees, and extra care on dry ground anywhere.

Controlled burning by farmers and land managers is a separate matter, and it is lawful within limits. Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service says controlled habitat burning is important in maintaining natural habitats and reducing the amount of dry heather and vegetation which, when left unburnt, can devastate habitats and wildlife in Wales³³. In Wales, controlled burning is permitted between 1 October and 31 March³⁴. If you see a large fire on moorland in summer, outside that window, treat it as suspicious and report it.

Where to get help and what to do next

The help you need depends on what is happening. For a fire that is burning, call 999 and ask for the fire service⁸. For suspicious activity, arson or a barbecue left burning where it should not be, contact the police.

Before the next hot spell, do three things. Decide now that open countryside gets a picnic, not a barbecue¹. If you cook in the garden, set up away from hedges, fences and sheds, with a bucket of water or hose ready¹². And keep an eye on official warnings, including emergency alerts, which can tell you when the national wildfire risk is very high²¹.

For the wider picture, our heatwaves and drought section covers hot weather planning, and the hot weather preparation checklist helps you get the household ready before a dry spell arrives. If you are cooking without mains power or gas for other reasons, see heating and cooking without mains power or gas.