BBQ party tonight

[Grumpynan]

We have planned a family get together this evening with a charcoal bbq in the garden. I hasten to add it’s a proper one not disposable.

should we still go ahead, or should I play save and cook the food indoors, what’s everyone else doing,

I mean, it stresses disposable bbq, says nothing about kettle ones in a garden. But I don’t want to cause any problems, and tbh we have a lot of trees around us and I’m a little worried, DH says I’m being silly but ?

There's a lot of stupid people around unfortunately

This is nuts. We were having a barbecue (gas, on our patio) with a bunch of friends when the alerts came out. The issue is more about irresponsible idiots using disposable barbecues on grass (the Stourbridge fire allegedly caused by teens celebrating exam results in a field).

Common sense says to not be cooking on dry grass or near trees or fences, and to have a bucket of water at hand. FFS no wonder the fire service has had to ask people to stop calling 999 on the neighbours.

Doesn’t everyone?

It takes just one spark and a small fire can get out of control really quickly in these conditions. It’s not worth the risk

I’m not reporting anyone. I’m just pointing out that if people had a bit more of a mindset towards facilitating the collective good rather than just what they want to do, we probably wouldn’t be in this situation to start with.

.this is the wording....
Residents, landowners and visitors should not undertake any activity that could start a fire, including disposable barbecues, firepits, garden incinerators or fireworks. Even a small flame can rapidly develop into a major wildfire placing lives, homes, businesses and emergency responders at risk.

An enclosed BBQ on a patio, fully attended is not an activity that could start a fire. It's not on anything combustible (such as directly in the lawn) it's contained (so flames are no nearby grass or bushes) and it has someone watching it (just in case of anything unexpected happens)

Basic risk assessment - what is the risk, how is it controlled, are further controls necessary (which is why some are suggesting a bucket of water nearby just in case a burning sausage jumps out and sets the lawn on fire when no one is watching).

People who hate BBQ or smoke are guilt tripping others.

Including the ones who can’t exercise critical thinking skills to distinguish between the risk of a disposable BBQ in a grassland setting and a gas BBQ at home on a patio with water nearby?

Just reading how they do it and it sounds pretty good. Although they do have TFB days, total fire ban which includes coal bbq

Amen to that

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.

I wouldn't

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.

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 ✊️

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

"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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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