Barbecues cause Staffordshire wildfire concerns

A fire started by a camp fire destroyed 200 acres of moorland in Staffordshire in 2018

Firefighters are carrying out patrols around Staffordshire beauty spots, to prevent grass fires caused by barbeques.

Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service said it found evidence one had scorched grass near Stafford on Thursday, but it did not spread to nearby bushes.

Cannock Chase, Westport Lake and Birches Valley will be a focus for fire service patrols.

There is a complete ban on the use of barbeques on Cannock Chase.

The fire service said it had been giving talks about the danger of wildfires to people living in the area.

In 2018, 200 acres of moorland in Staffordshire were destroyed by a fire started by a camp fire and firefighter Mark Downes, who leads the fire prevention team, said barbeques also had the potential to cause massive damage.

"They can easily spread to surrounding shrubbery and can quickly escalate into a dangerous and uncontainable wildfire," he said.

The small fire found near Stafford had burnt itself out, he said, but "could have potentially caused widespread damage" if it had ignited nearby bushes.

He urged people using disposable barbeques to use them on even surfaces such as bricks or paving slabs, well away from houses or sheds, and to make sure they have completely cooled before putting them in bins.

"Barbecues should never be used in the countryside and across popular beauty spots within the county," he added.