BBQ party tonight

My sister’s gas barbecue caught on fire - completely engulfed in flames which rapidly advanced towards the gas bottle. She got the bottle removed just in time. If it had happened in the current conditions, there would have been a serious fire.

There are so many alternatives to a BBQ and they are hardly necessary - having one at the moment is just blatantly selfish and that doesn’t address the fear neighbours smelling smoke are going to feel.

Can nobody use any sensible logic anymore?

Obviously not you, if you think you're so funny and that such flippancy is appropriate.

People all over the UK are facing the devastating consequences of the actions of idiots who think it's all a big joke. If you don't live in one of these areas, count yourself lucky for now, but it will only take one imbecile who thinks they're more clever than everyone else and it could be you losing everything.

No one is stupid for being worried.

There is nothing sensible about cooking on a barbecue in the current conditions, especially when it's just as easy to keep safe and cook indoors.

Why don't you turn your toaster and hob back on and enjoy a toasted sandwich and a cup of coffee in the garden and count yourself lucky that you can do so without smelling the smoke from the homes, farms and livelihoods that are currently on fire.

• Never leave a household barbecue unattended and ensure it is fully extinguished after use.

That’s the official rule, household barbecues are NOT banned.

Well on that note everyone, just to be on the safe side I’ll not be using my gas hob until further notice. I’ve unplugged the toaster too. Sandwiches all round!

Can nobody use any sensible logic anymore? Disposable BBQs in wild woodlands - bad. Normal BBQ on your patio is NOT what they are warning us about. If you’re lighting it on scorched grass then yes use your brain.

I think you're right, people seem to react really badly to being asked/advised not to do something.

How much of a hardship is it to just cook food inside, really? You can still eat outside. It will still taste nice.

Anyone saying this is over reacting - I wonder whether you live in areas where you can smell the smoke from rampaging fires. These fires are killing wildlife, destroying homes and peoples livelihoods and risking lives. Why is it an over reaction to keep the risk as low as possible and just cook inside? It's not like we don't all have ovens, indoor hobs and microwaves. It's not a hardship! BBQs are more of a faff than just cooking inside anyway.

I'm glad my neighbours aren't lighting their BBQs. I'm not eagerly waiting for opportunities to judge and report people, I would find the smell of smoke and bbq drifting over the fence quite worrying right now. How am I supposed to know whether they've got a gas or charcoal BBQ and whether they've got it sitting on a big concrete area rather than on grass, with no overhanging vegetation etc.

Seriously, people are scared for good reason. Emergency services are overwhelmed and exhausted. Just use your oven.

For those saying the alert only mentioned disposable BBQs it said ‘including disposable BBQs’ it didn’t list everything. It did say anything that could start a fire

A friend had a gas BBQ that ended up in flames

Critically thinking, I don't go hill walking when the weather is dangerous or go out to sea in a storm. I did used to make my kids swim between the flags on the beach for their safety and the safety of the lifeguards because I do actually quite like people to be able to work without undue risk to their safety. No doubt that is not critical thinking.

Brilliant, you go ahead do exactly what you want, obviously you will anyway. My thinking that I don't want to put the volunteers in my small town at any more risk is just daft.

Agree ! The posts I have read from some posters the more it validates the argument for a blanket ban for all !

I'm wondering about something. Probably all women are making threads about planned BBQs. Why are they talking about it on here and in a sense getting other peoples take on it. Why would it matter what random strangers think if they are having a BBQ given the current situation. They would do it regardless.
I think, purely from my pov, that some aren't really on board with the idea but the man of the house has deemed a bbq is going ahead as he wants to show off his cooking skill and is not going to be advised /told he can't because his fragile ego can't cope. I also think that some of these p/w are going along with it as a result but possibly a bit reluctant but don't want to say "Don't think this is a good idea in this dry weather." So they are on here to reassure themselves it's not the best idea.
I do judge people who will be attending though as it just confirms that it is okay to do this. I wonder how many will pull out or make excuses and leave early?

Honestly people are mad. It’s disposable bbqs. And most of the ‘wildfires’ have been started deliberately ie arson so this will make no difference. Total over reaction as bloody usual

I’m wondering if everyone got the same
alert. This is what we got in Yorkshire..

And here is the wording in more detail on gov.co.uk:
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/emergency-alert-to-be-sent-to-england-and-wales-as-government-steps-up-wildfire-response-with-funding-military-support-and-bbq-ban
This is yesterday’s press release.

In relation to household bbqs (not in countryside / open spaces):

• Never leave a household barbecue unattended and ensure it is fully extinguished after use.

It’s of course fine for people to decide that they don’t want to have a bbq at home, but it’s absolutely not included in the current government advice that they should not. The current advice clearly specifies how to be safe if you are having one.

How the fuck is it low risk when there’s a drought on and everything is tinder dry?

I think it’s your critical thinking that’s sadly lacking here.

We'll have to agree to differ. It isn't essential to cook food on a barbecue so it's not a huge deal just not to do it at the moment. It's also higher risk than normal because (a) vegetation is so dry a fire would get hold very fast and (b) the Fire Service is operating at full stretch at the moment. None of this applies to people switching on their gas central heating when it gets cold, especially if they are having the boiler regularly serviced.

A lot of this appears to be people reacting very badly to being told what to do. Strong echoes of Covid.

"A bucket of water is on stand by it will sort it out ,yeah, right. 😆
All these so called sensible people who are supposed to be so called adults who are actually brain dead.

Ah the ridiculous better safe than sorry argument that always get trotted out. If that’s your attitude the you should apply it
all the time. Stay home, locks your doors and don’t do anything ever. Certainly don’t use your gas cooker or central heating - numerous house gas explosions occur every year in this country - better safe than sorry.

The problem is you have one, then the neighbours think "Ah must be fine ... " then they have one, their guests do one next weekend and so on. It's basically encouraging everyone else to turn a blind eye and making it seem acceptable.

Also the smoke, some people may wrongly assume it's a wildfire given they will be expecting most people won't be getting out the BBQs right after an alert informing people not to do so. Those people could then be calling the fire brigade, who frankly have enough to deal with right now and I'm sure won't be appreciating constant calls from the public about potential further wildfires.

The usual illogical argument.
why go hill walking? You are putting yourself at risk and just putting strain on Mountain Rescue, who are volunteers.
Why go to the beach and swimming in the sea? You are just putting yourself at risk and putting strain on the Coast Guard and RNLI,
who are volunteers.
If you want to avoid increasing risk to all and sundry you should stay home with the lights off and never partake in any activity ever. Every single activity carries risk. You actively engage in the ones that carry the most
risk all the time without thinking eg driving. Yet a low risk activity such as a bbq on a patio at home suddenly becomes cardinal sin all because the government sends a txt message. Critical thinking gone out the window.

I'm with (mostly) everyone else on this OP. Just cook the food in the kitchen. It's one thing to follow gov advice, but of course we all need to use common sense too. I've been in a fire and it's not fun.

Idiots who are lighting bbqs or anything like this shouldn't expect the fire brigade to rush out if their property or house catchs fire. But sadly it is ususally the innocent that suffer at the hands of the morons and twats of the world. In these cases neighbours and wildlife.

Please do not light a BBQ tonight or even for the foreseeable future………everywhere is tinder dry and the tiniest stray ember caught in the breeze could destroy peoples homes, farmland and industrial areas. If you had to ask, then you know you’re wrong to even consider it.

You're describing the safest possible scenario with a gas bbq on a patio providing it is expansive. I question why even that is worth the risk. Plenty of people have coal bbqs that risk flying ash and think they are exempt also 'because it's not a disposable bbq on the grass'. I suspect the desire to have bbqs has suddenly shot up too because people are so clever and brave to use their 'critical thinking skills' to fight against such an oppressive system. Power to the people ✊️

Here's the wording of the alert. It says not to undertake any activity that could start a fire. Disposable barbecues, firepits, garden incinerators and fireworks are given as examples. Another obvious one would be bonfires and cigarettes not properly extinguished. I wouldn't be using any form of barbecue for the time being. Better safe than sorry.

I wouldn't

This thread is bonkers, why would anyone do anything that increases the risk of the firefighters, surely as a moral person you wouldn't put them, or anyone else to that matter, at more risk than they already have.

Sure, have your fire, ignore all warnings, don't think about anyone else at all. My small town is a volunteer service, why would I want to make their lives less easy?

The warning was a warning, idiots everywhere will ignore it because they care more about themselves than anyone else.