LONDON — The U.K.imposed a temporary ban on the sale of disposable barbecues and sent a nationwide alert warning of a “very high risk of wildfires” as European countries battle to keep blazes under control.
Authorities are bracing for the prospect of fires breaking out in the days ahead, with drought conditions across much of Britain and a prolonged heat wave this week bringing temperatures in excess of 38 degrees Celsius (100 degrees Fahrenheit).“Britain is a tinderbox right now,” Prime Minister Andy Burnham warned on Friday as he visited the scene of a fire in Stourbridge, in the West Midlands region, that destroyed 19 homes.“I’ve never seen scenes like this in Britain,” he added.Wildfires are not typically a major threat in Britain, usually known for a temperate maritime climate and frequent wet weather, even in the summertime.
The U.K.does not have any firefighting planes, a common sight in many other countries, but Burnham said he would seek to commission some in an effort to “face up” to the “changing climate.”“Farmers are watching crops fail and firefighters have faced hundreds of wildfires in a matter of weeks,” he added in a video shared on X.
“This is what climate change looks like here and now.”Andy Burnham on July 20 in London.Karwai Tang / WireImage via Getty ImagesMany of England’s rolling green fields are currently a sea of brown, dried-out grass, with firefighters and officials fearing any spark could lead to catastrophe.One Stourbridge resident said that trees were “exploding” in the conditions as the fire spread.“We just grabbed everything and left,” Paul Nash, whose garden was damaged, told Reuters.Burnham also announced a temporary ban on the sale of popular disposable barbecues.“Retailers have been informed that disposable barbecues must be removed from sale immediately.The temporary measure will remain under review but will stay in place while the heightened wildfire risk continues,” the U.K.
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