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AIBU to think the wildfire alert about barbecues was unnecessary?

379 replies

HollyhockDayssss · 14/08/2026 19:55

Oh My God Reaction GIF

AIBU to think the alert was unnecessary? I get wildfires are an issue but informing the public not to use bbqs isnt a life and death situation.

OP posts:
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7
AmnesiacsDream · 15/08/2026 10:39

OneStarAwake · 15/08/2026 09:20

Exactly.

So we now need to have a very loud alert for every piece of information that people who are "thick as pig shit" need to know for public protect? And that will have to happen, what, every year to catch the new comers?

ElsieMc · 15/08/2026 09:58

Think they got it right. I live near a beach with byelaws prohibiting fires and this year has been so bad the council have had to obstruct access with rocks.

I have been a victim of an idiot ndn firestarter. It began with him burning rubbish within metres of our oil tank. He had a cleaning business and rammed his garage full of equipment and chemicals. Until it set alight. It burnt down 3 garages, our hedge and if the wind was toward us our home would have been lost. It was the full works, huge explosions and 3 fire engines attending.

He cleared off. He knew there were children in our home. He said as it was accidental, I should get over it and called me mental.

My thoughts are with those who have lost their homes.

Electricsausages · 15/08/2026 09:51

Alert fatigue ffs
we have had 2, get a grip

Error404FucksNotFound · 15/08/2026 09:43

Wildfires are increasing year on year. It is very worrying. https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/uk/wildfire-total-for-2026-in-england-and-wales-reaches-same-as-whole-of-last-year/a/159941263.html

OneStarAwake · 15/08/2026 09:20

Error404FucksNotFound · 15/08/2026 09:18

Maybe if people werent as thick as pigshit the government wouldn't have to use the alert system to state the blindingly obvious.

Exactly.

Andimpleased · 15/08/2026 09:20

The government have to pitch communication to the lowest common denominator
I don’t have a problem with it
mind you, there’s a heap of stuff that seem to rile to many on Mumsnet that I don’t give a second’s though

Error404FucksNotFound · 15/08/2026 09:18

Maybe if people werent as thick as pigshit the government wouldn't have to use the alert system to state the blindingly obvious.

Andimpleased · 15/08/2026 09:18

scalt · 15/08/2026 08:55

Who wants a bet that the next alert giving general advice which we know already will be less than six months from now? Then five months, then four, etc? I do foresee these being used more and more often, for non-emergencies.

I hope not.

Mainly because of all the Mumsnet threads from over excitable Ops that will follow

scalt · 15/08/2026 08:55

MrsOni · 14/08/2026 21:53

This is an argument that would make sense if this was the 50th alert this month. It's the first in 6 months.

Get a grip.

Who wants a bet that the next alert giving general advice which we know already will be less than six months from now? Then five months, then four, etc? I do foresee these being used more and more often, for non-emergencies.

AmnesiacsDream · 15/08/2026 08:45

JassyRadlett · 15/08/2026 08:01

None of the studies you shared dispute that sparing and proportionate use of push alert systems lead to mass switch-off.

The volumes here are nothing like in some US states where there are a huge range of push and other alerts at multiple levels of government.

Why would they? I didn't claim that that was what was happening.

JassyRadlett · 15/08/2026 08:01

AmnesiacsDream · 15/08/2026 06:48

Would be good if it didn't come with a side effective of making the alert system less effective, yes.

None of the studies you shared dispute that sparing and proportionate use of push alert systems lead to mass switch-off.

The volumes here are nothing like in some US states where there are a huge range of push and other alerts at multiple levels of government.

Yesitisnotthatitbe · 15/08/2026 07:50

Sherararara · 14/08/2026 20:52

No. Using a national emergency alert system to send a message such as this is incompetent. It’s an important message but one that can be disseminated on other channels. The alert system should be kept for significant and immediate threats only. If it starts getting used regularly for things like this it will become an annoyance people will just start to ignore it and it will lose its impact when it is most needed.

This is so blindingly obvious but not to everybody it seems

Yesitisnotthatitbe · 15/08/2026 07:45

Of course it was unnecessary. We watch the news. Also, it's the over reach some of us predicted when they introduced it. It's supposed to be for an imminent emergency for the people at risk, not just general nanny state "advice".
What next? Alarms every time you order a takeaway as you're at danger of putting on weight

Sagealicious · 15/08/2026 07:03

AmnesiacsDream · 15/08/2026 06:54

You might not think twice about them but alert fatigue has been a critical consideration in the design of the new AusAlert system.

True. it's definitely something that needs to be considered.

AmnesiacsDream · 15/08/2026 06:54

Sagealicious · 15/08/2026 05:01

Yeah these kind of bans are completely normal for us in Australia. We don't think twice about it because as a nation we know what can and does happen when you don't listen to certain warnings. Maybe if you're not used to it and if it's new to you it might seem like a bit of an overreach but one day the time may come when you'll be grateful that such bans exist during fires. Many Australians will attest to that.

You might not think twice about them but alert fatigue has been a critical consideration in the design of the new AusAlert system.

AmnesiacsDream · 15/08/2026 06:48

JassyRadlett · 15/08/2026 03:58

Good to tackle at least one group of dickheads, though, right, even though the others are going to continue their twattery?

And peer/family pressure on the second group - for example, by declining to participate in stupidly unsafe activities - can also have an impact.

Would be good if it didn't come with a side effective of making the alert system less effective, yes.

Andimpleased · 15/08/2026 06:00

I knew this message would excite and / or anger some mumsnetters.

OneAquaFatball · 15/08/2026 05:11

Best get used to it. As the risk rises you’ll likely see a marked increase in them like we in other places who have experienced this more commonly over summer do, since you can’t legislate for public stupidity in these situations sadly.

When they’re a bit more normalised we probably won’t see this remarkable depth and breadth of discussion over them which will be good. Six or so threads I’ve counted today. bizarre!

JMSA · 15/08/2026 05:07

YABVU.

Sagealicious · 15/08/2026 05:01

AmnesiacsDream · 15/08/2026 02:25

You'd only think that if you were ignorant on the subject and hadn't bothered to even look, because there's a lot out there. The US and Australia in particular have been using these systems for a while and have been concerned about how fatigue, people officially opting out, or just ignoring the warnings when they come through.

Here are a few papers and articles (there's plenty more if you are actually interested):

https://doi.org/10.1111/1468-5973.70076
https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RRA2451-1.html
http://dx.doi.org/10.26021/4033
https://doi.org/10.1175/WCAS-D-18-0080.1
https://doi.org/10.1111/1468-5973.12278
https://doi.org/10.1177/0018720816672117

Yeah these kind of bans are completely normal for us in Australia. We don't think twice about it because as a nation we know what can and does happen when you don't listen to certain warnings. Maybe if you're not used to it and if it's new to you it might seem like a bit of an overreach but one day the time may come when you'll be grateful that such bans exist during fires. Many Australians will attest to that.

JassyRadlett · 15/08/2026 03:58

AmnesiacsDream · 15/08/2026 03:23

If it's about people who are professionally contrarian, sending out an official direction not to do something would be counter productive, wouldn't it?

Good to tackle at least one group of dickheads, though, right, even though the others are going to continue their twattery?

And peer/family pressure on the second group - for example, by declining to participate in stupidly unsafe activities - can also have an impact.

AmnesiacsDream · 15/08/2026 03:23

JassyRadlett · 15/08/2026 00:20

When you intentionally have to leave "widespread fire" out of your list of known dangers to life while listing others it undermines you a bit.

This isn't actually about barbecues. It's about idiots who are either too thick or too professionally contrarian to respect nature.

If it's about people who are professionally contrarian, sending out an official direction not to do something would be counter productive, wouldn't it?

placemats · 15/08/2026 03:16

Katypp · 14/08/2026 21:54

You are other pps accusing posters of ignoring how dangerous wldfires are are missing the point somewhat.
I don't think anyone has said wildfires are not a matter of life or death, have they?
Pps are saying that the alarm warning system was set up to alert people of imminent danger, not to warn them not to do something that MAY cause danger.
As pps have said, why was there no warning to avoid looking directly at the eclipse or to remember to wear sunscreen?
The warning system was not set up to tell people how to behave. It was set up to warn people of imminent danger.
On that basis, it should not have been used tonight.

Thank goodness you're not in charge of running the country.

Valeriekat · 15/08/2026 02:57

AplineDaisies · 14/08/2026 19:57

The government do not do these for no reason at all.

You sure?

AmnesiacsDream · 15/08/2026 02:25

dhillan · 15/08/2026 00:44

Of course not!

You'd only think that if you were ignorant on the subject and hadn't bothered to even look, because there's a lot out there. The US and Australia in particular have been using these systems for a while and have been concerned about how fatigue, people officially opting out, or just ignoring the warnings when they come through.

Here are a few papers and articles (there's plenty more if you are actually interested):

https://doi.org/10.1111/1468-5973.70076
https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RRA2451-1.html
http://dx.doi.org/10.26021/4033
https://doi.org/10.1175/WCAS-D-18-0080.1
https://doi.org/10.1111/1468-5973.12278
https://doi.org/10.1177/0018720816672117

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