Lickey Hills fire: Barbecue named as likely cause

About 60 firefighters battled the flames at Lickey Hills Country Park

A wildfire that ravaged a swathe of Lickey Hills Country Park is believed to have been caused by a disposable barbecue.

About 60 firefighters battled flames at the beauty spot on the edge of Birmingham on Monday 18 July.

Firefighters said their initial conclusion was that a barbecue ignited dry ground.

Hot ash then possibly blew away to spark a second fire at the site, they added.

Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service, which tackled the blaze, explained that despite no remains of the barbecue being discovered, scorch marks on the ground suggested the cause.

The fire service suspects a disposable barbecue like this one caused the Lickey Hills blaze

The same service also fought a blaze on Tuesday 19 July at Hartlebury Common nature reserve in Stourport-on-Severn, but said it was not possible to form a definite conclusion as to its cause.

While no remains of anything that could be used to start it were found, it said, arson could not be ruled out.

Station Commander Richie Young said: "We would remind people to exercise extreme caution and not to use disposable barbecues in the countryside at all, even if they take them away afterwards."

Firefighters said the Lickey Hills blaze left behind a scene of "devastation"

Mr Young added "the ground remains tinder dry and extremely combustible" and with more hot weather expected later this week, he said people should avoid "having barbecues or campfires, discarding cigarettes or litter, or dropping glassware which can also ignite fires".