BackBritain Bans Disposable Barbecue Sales as Wildfires Prompt Military Deployment
Prime Minister Andy Burnham has imposed a temporary nationwide ban on disposable barbecue sales and deployed military personnel to combat wildfires across Britain.
The Guardian
Original reporting
What happened
The British government has implemented a temporary ban on the sale of disposable barbecues across Great Britain and deployed military forces to assist with wildfire response. Prime Minister Andy Burnham made the announcement from Stourbridge in the West Midlands, where at least 19 people have been hospitalized following eight fires that damaged multiple homes. Burnham urged the public not to risk lives and property by starting fires, describing Britain as a "tinderbox" this weekend.
Why it matters
The emergency measures reflect the severity of wildfire conditions currently affecting Britain. The hospitalization of at least 19 people and damage to several homes in the West Midlands alone demonstrates the immediate danger posed by fires during the current conditions. The deployment of military personnel indicates that civilian firefighting resources may be stretched beyond normal capacity.
- Source
- The Guardian
- Published
- 8/14/2026
- Views
- 8
- Reading time
- 1 min read
Related Stories
A man was fatally attacked by a tiger at Yorkshire Wildlife Park in the UK; Sky News reports he told the animal to “stop being naughty” just before the incident.
Yorkshire Wildlife Park is set to reopen today despite a recent fatal tiger mauling that claimed a man's life.
Wildfire-affected residents took down a Greenpeace mural depicting Andy Burnham that was painted on a scorched mountain following recent wildfires.