Three beach BBQ fires in past week

Friday 05 June 2020

With disposable barbecues being responsible for three separate fires in coastal bins around Guernsey in the last week alone, the States have issued advice for those planning to cook their food on the beach when the sunny weather returns.

Now that small social gatherings are permitted under Public Health guidance, and with the recent spell of good weather, many local residents have chosen to meet up with their friends and family for some food on the beach.

But not all groups have been disposing of their equipment correctly.

All three of the recent coastal fires began after groups put their disposable barbecues in the public plastic wheelie bins before they were fully cooled. These bins melted as they caught alight and will have to be replaced at public expense.

Meanwhile, in another incident, fire debris was found along the nature trail in Saumarez Park, where barbecues are not permitted.

Pictured: Guernsey Fire & Rescue were called out to a barbecue fire at Pembroke.

They can only be lit on north and west coast beaches, excluding the Richmond end of Vazon, and must not be started on coastal grasses or cliffs, or grassy and wooded areas.

To save the island from further incidents, the States are asking that those using barbecues in public stick to the following rules:

• Only light barbecues on beaches, below the high tide mark, keeping a four metre distance from any surrounding dune or grassland vegetation
• Only light the barbecue after 17:00 and in a spot where smoke won't disturb other people
• Use water and sand to make sure the area around the barbecue isn't hot and won't hurt other beach-users if they step on it
• To extinguish the barbecue, douse embers in water until they are cold enough that the ash no longer hisses, there is no more smoke and remnants are cold to the touch
• The cold remnants must either be taken home or put carefully in a litter bin

 For further information and advice, including permits for barbecues of more than ten people, click HERE.

Pictured top: File image.