Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service launch campaign to put an end to disposable BBQs after fires on Longridge Fell and Darwen Moor

Lancashire’s fire service is calling on the county's residents to help in a campaign to protect the countryside from wildfires following two major incidents last month.
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Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service (LFRS) had to declare a major incident on May 31 due to two separate wildfire incidents having an impact on its resources.

The first fire broke out on Darwen Moor on Saturday, May 30 after a disposable barbecue set surrounding grass alight and spread quickly across a vast area of the moors. On the afternoon of Sunday, May 31, a fire involving a tree plantation at Longridge Fell was believed to have been started by a campfire.

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A major incident was declared as the service also dealt with large grass fires at Winter Hill in Rivington and in Haslingden, along with multiple smaller fires across the county.

Fire on Darwen Moor last monthFire on Darwen Moor last month
Fire on Darwen Moor last month

A LFRS spokesman said: “In hot and dry conditions BBQs, campfires and cigarettes can quickly ignite and spread and damage miles and miles of our moorlands and forests leaving lots of devastation and firefighters working to extinguishing the flames.

"We’re trying to put an end to disposable BBQs being used in our countryside’s, forests, parks and sand dunes.

“We want Lancashire residents to record a short clip of themselves saying why the local landscape is special or important to them and where they’re from saying ‘no disposable BBQs please.’

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The clips will be put together to make a film. Clips should be emailed to [email protected]

The spokesman said by sending in footage people agree to LFRS using it in its marketing campaign.

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