Plea to shops: 'Stop selling disposable barbecues'

Disposable barbecues have been found at the scene of a number of wildfires in Dorset

Shops in Dorset have been urged to "stop selling disposable barbecues" as warmer temperatures return this weekend.

Litter Free Dorset is calling for the move as the number of wildfires in the county approach 60 for the year.

Emma Teasdale, from the group, said the barbecues were "impossible to recycle, incredibly wasteful and often abandoned while still hot, leading to fires and injuries".

Even before this week's wildfires in Studland, monitoring group Dorset Heaths recorded 55 incidents of fire in 2025 affecting 27 heaths and destroying more than 65 hectares of habitat - a 41% increase in incidents compared with 2024.

There has been an increase in the frequency and size of wildfires in 2025

Dorset Heaths monitoring warden Sophie Clegg said: "There have not only been more heath fires attended by the fire service, but the impact of fire has been more widespread, with nearly twice as many heaths affected by fire.

"The conditions this year have also caused many of the fires to become much bigger, resulting in nearly eight times more heathland habitat burned in comparison to this time last year."

Litter Free Dorset, which is hosted at Dorset Council, works to improve the environment through litter picks and community campaigns.

It said single-use barbecues had already caused a number of fires with "devastating environmental, social and economic impact".

Dozens of national and local retailers have already removed them from their shelves, including Poundbury Gardens, Birchwood Tourist Park, Budgens Swanage, Herston Yards Farm, Haskins, Goulds, Burnbake Campsite and Winfrith Village Stores.

Lighting barbecues and campfires is also forbidden in much of Dorset's forest and heath habitat.