AIBU to think the wildfire alert about barbecues was unnecessary?

[HollyhockDayssss]

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.

Does anyone know how to make these stop? I've just received it for the third time.

Good lord, I’ve not even managed to read all of these posts yet but, Christ alive, there’s some ducking pig ignorant, thick people on here. It’s far too much for me in this heat.

Make sure to take the batteries out of your smoke alarms too. Y'know, they can get really annoying if they go off.

It the fire was around the corner and I needed to evacuate, but it wasn’t, it was absolutely pointless

Throw it in the bin at the back of Tesco.

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.

YABU and the literal reason they have to send an alert like this because it was quite frankly because of people who don't think fire in this heat is an issue with water shortages.

Yeah, your disposable BBQ isn't an issue, until it is. And I don't think people understand its actually very breezy outside too (which makes it all the more likely to prefer the outdoors right now!) but it also creates an unexpected tinderbox, not that people are gonna do it on purpose, but even a flicked cigarette onto a dry patch of grass is all thats needed.

Yup

I don't think any disagrees that the wildfires are a severe and serious threat. And that no-one should be using bbqs or fireworks.

But I agree with OP, the government alert this afternoon isn't justified. It should be used if there is a fire actually in your area and you need to prepare to evacuate, or stay inside or avoid an area.

But to send an alert where there is no immediate danger, and no action to be taken, seems like overkill and makes us more likely to turn off or ignore future alerts.

This.

Have a wee look at the damage caused in the cairngorms this year, or in the states etc where wildfires cost billions of dollars and hundreds of lives.

But sure, having your phone not make a noise once every 6 months is preferable.

There are documented reports of twats still lighting fires and using disposable bbqs in high risk areas. Using a system like this as a preventative measure is more than sensible to all but the terminally daft and/or obtuse.

I think the texts were several days too late. Hindsight is 20/20 and all that. I do think they were necessary. We woke up to the smell of smoke throughout our home this morning. It was from a fire burning about 10 miles away. It honestly felt a lot closer. It’s frightening to think how easily it is for people to lose everything so quickly because of idiots setting fires/using disposable bbqs etc.

I am camping on Cannock Chase - whole campsite went alarmy!

here in the Midlands - including my home town, we have had some devastating fires .

Campsite emailed everyone today asking for people to use gas stoves - still two campers with bbqs - although they are raised and not disposable.

you might live in an area where fires aren’t an issue but trust me - if Cannock Chase catches fire that not good!

Totally agree with this! I skim read it and initially thought it meant the field opposite me was on fire!

I have my phone permanently on silent and some of us were getting our toddlers to sleep at that time 😅 if I want a loud noise to suddenly come through on my phone then it needs to be an imminent threat to life/something we need to action immediately.

Why not just get shops to immediately ban the sale of disposable bbqs or like you said, just send a general text.

Anyone else noticed that the ads running across this thread are all for barbeques and barbecue food!

Calm down. I dont mind receiving it once but I don't want a repeat every half hour, especially at night.

You might be a 100miles away now, but if someone starts a fire near you then it will be for you. The alert was about prevention.

Been there for last few days

@countingdaysuntilretirement

"But to send an alert where there is no immediate danger, and no action to be taken, seems like overkill and makes us more likely to turn off or ignore future alerts."

It's a phenomenon that's actually got a name: "Alarm Fatigue", and has serious implications in some industries...

If people are discussing (and some seem to be) how to disable alarms after tonight's alert and perhaps making themselves more vulnerable in the future then at the least there needs to be a risk.v benefit assessment run on tonight's events.

54 people were injured by fires in the West Midlands, 19 homes were burned to the ground and about 30 more damaged. Hectares of SSSI and archaeologically sensitive land have burned or are still burning. Everywhere in Gloucestershire you can smell the smoke from a wildfire burning in South Wales for the past four days. There have been five wild fire incidents within 10 miles of my own house in the past 24 hours because of the conditions.

And still twats are starting bonfires, campfires and barbecues.

I think it more than warrants the emergency warning. Do you want people to die before anyone takes action?

Ah the deliberately obtuse has spoken..
Have a look at the knife crime epidemic. Let’s send a message about carrying knives.
Have a look at climate change, let’s send a message recommending everyone buy electric cars.
Have a look at road accidents statistics, let’s send a message not to speed…
There are a thousand topics you could chose that all have far greater economic, health and personal impacts than fires.

Seriously? Are you actually still not getting it? Or are you being purposely obtuse? Are you aware that we don’t all leave to go on a holiday or visit another part of the county on the very day the alert sounds? I don’t know how to put this any simpler. There’s still summer holidays left. The risk if wildfires isn’t just today. It is next week too. And the week after. Some people might be going on holiday next week to an area where there’s a risk. Or, what about the places that have fires that didn’t have fires last week? Or the places that aren’t on fire yet but might be next week? People. Move. Around. The. Country. During. The. Summer. Not. Just. Today.
ffs, you cannot be for real? Why on earth am I even bothering to reply?! I am so disappointed in myself…

Carry on. As you were. And remember not to leave your home town for the rest of the summer in case you go to an area that might have a sudden wildfire. You know the people in Stourbridge didn’t have a fire until it was on fire? And if they’d have gotten the alert last week would they have said “oh, that’s nothing to do with us! Why are they sending it to our area? We’re not near any fire!!” Are you getting it yet? And why am I still bothering. I wish I could say what I really think 😂 have a great, fire-free weekend.

It was an important message but it certainly wasn't an emergency and it didn't warrant all the bells and whistles that went with it.

If they need to send a text, just send a text.

Our area is at great risk and we've already been at the point of nearly having to evacuate some horses. We didn't need our phones to scream a message at us.

If they keep doing this, people will just start ignoring or blocking the alerts.

I can’t see why they would do it if it’s not an issue. Throwaway bbq on the beaches can do a lot of harm so they are trying to tell us to use common sense and don’t cause fires as there are enough of them happening as it is. Think of how many younger ones who would never have given this a second thought now they know. Job done.