AnyAnyone else just had the wildfire alert on their phone?

[OonaStubbs]

Anyone else just had the wildfire alert on their phone? It scared me to death. There are no wildfires round here that I know of.

It was an alert across England and Wales so anyone living there got it.

Ironically, when the system was tested last year we were at Dunwich Heath, which is now decimated by fire.

Nothing in Scotland.

Our town had a fire in some bushes next to a supermarket yesterday. Suspect someone throwing a cigarette has they boarded a bus that pulls up along side them. Thats probably the biggest risk right now.

We had a BBQ earlier today (not disposable) on the patio by our house, didnt actually think a spark from that could be a risk but would be cancelling if it was tomorrow so I guess it will make everyone think twice.

I do think there must be a big demographic of people who don't keep up with news or social media who may have been unaware so this is good.

I would worry of the arsonists/young tearaways being inspired to see what havoc they can cause though.

On a bus in central london and we had a collective moment 😂

It’s a shame that people need reminding to stop behaving like complete dickheads but they do.

Yes
Better late than never

Submerged disposal bbqs have to be up there with Johnson’s no tears in the eyes. Just to double check there really are no tears.

just to be sure.

Does anyone know why the warning doesn’t regular barbecues, just disposable ones? Surely any fire is a risk?

Didn't get any here (Scotland) Maybe we don't matter

They are usually placed directly in the ground

I'm not sure I've understood the post tbh, do you mean you're submerging unlit never-used bbqs in in the bath? That does tip over from worry into something else maybe, I'm not carefree in the slightest as a fellow worrier but there's no danger as long as you don't light them.

First world problems but we are 2 weeks away from completion on a house purchase at the very edge of a National Trust conservation area - a very popular beach with beautiful forest surrounding it. Very popular for BBQs. If we're going to continue to have Summers like this then I honestly don't know if the purchase is a wise idea. I don't want to be on edge every Summer and I imagine insurance premiums will go mad in the coming years.

There’s one on this thread but apparently that’s ok because reasons why they are different…

Because the heat is raised off the ground and BBQ not moved when finished with?

Disposables often on ground and then if people tidy, moved to a bin - in public areas, woods, parks etc. usually.

Its just not worth any bbq. All it takes is a small incident to spark a fire. The fire services are extremely busy now dealing with wildfires and I for one would rather they could get to a traffic accident pretty quickly rather than resources being spent on a fire that some bll ed started through having a bbq disposable or not

Don’t stress. The bbqs are safer with you because you’ll make sure they’re not used. They’re wet now, they won’t ignite.

Yes, was in the cafe at the gym and everyone's went off, I thought it was a fire alarm

It’s still a risk due to hot sparks landing nearby. You’d have to be an idiot to have one right now

There was a big wildfire near to me yesterday. It destroyed 6 houses. They arrested 2 13 year old boys. Its a tiktok trend apparently to film themselves setting fires to see who can create the biggest ones. That's why there is so many all the time

I’ve never seen dickheads dragging a regular barbecue up on to the commons near me. Does anyone do this? It’s always those shitty disposable ones from the garage which they then just leave. I don’t think a regular bbq with a lid in someone’s back garden is a risk.

Agree with this.

Yes! First gov alert I've had and I had it twice for some reason...

At the moment yes, yes it is. Everything is so tinder dry.

I’m yet to hear it outside the house. Must have been an experience.

Indeed, and it would have been entirely appropriate for the alert to have sounded in STOURBRIDGE, wouldn't it!

I do not live anywhere near there, in common with most of the people who got the alert.

Next time there is a serious, urgent risk to life in a particular area, how many people do you think will hear that alert and just go "Oh, some bollocks about BBQs probably" and ignore it?