There's something almost comic about the modern British summer ritual: As soon as the mercury climbs, we head to the nearest park, sit cross-legged on scorched grass and hunch over a flimsy foil tray to sear sausages over an open flame.
But these disposable BBQs now pose an active wildfire risk. This summer, the UK has been experiencing what some fire scientists are calling a "firewave"—when heat waves create the perfect conditions for wildfires, especially within cities. As a result, some councils have banned the use of disposable BBQs in council-owned parks, beaches and other public spaces.
It comes as London is on high alert for wildfires following four successive heat waves so far this summer and minimal rainfall. The current fire danger forecast for the UK is set at "very extreme."
This coincides with record fires in France, Spain and Greece, forcing evacuations of major cities including Bordeaux. While wildfires are a common occurrence, their frequency and intensity are increasing with climate change. At any given moment, thousands are being recorded across the globe by satellites and can be viewed in real time.
The devastating news of the fires in mainland Europe may make it seem like the problem is across the channel, but UK statistics back up the unease. Over the weekend, the London Fire Brigade responded to more than 1,300 incidents.
With temperatures expected to remain high and the skies clear of rain, the risk is only increasing. Most of England is currently classified as at very high risk under the Fire Safety Index.
Meanwhile, South Wales Fire and Rescue has been battling flames in the Blaenavon area since July 20. This has been affecting air quality in the Cardiff area, despite the Welsh capital being 30 km (19 miles) from the blaze.
Almost all UK wildfires are started by people. So given the hot summer we're in, wouldn't a crisp salad and a piece of fresh fruit make more sense than crouching over hot coals?
The BBQ risk
Disposable BBQs are a major preventable ignition source. The coals inside them are separated from the surface by only a thin aluminum tray that becomes extremely hot. This directly heats the surface below, rather than dispersing into open air the way it might around a fixed barbecue stand. Charcoal embers can also easily blow from the BBQ onto the ground and ignite dry grass, leaf litter, heathland or peat in sustained dry conditions.
On exposed coastlines, particularly where cliffs are capped with dry peat or gorse, wind can carry embers further and faster than on a still inland afternoon. Peat is exceptionally carbon-rich. Found in bogs, fens and marshy uplands, it is formed much the same way as coal and contains the partially decomposed remains of ancient plants and animals. This organic matter can smolder underground for days and even weeks after it looks like a fire has been put out, presenting additional challenges for fire services.
Even after charcoal appears extinguished, BBQ trays can stay hot for hours after the last sausage comes off the grill. And putting a warm BBQ in the trash creates a second danger, since barbecues discarded before cooling have started bin fires.
For these reasons, disposable BBQs are one of the first things fire services ask people to avoid. For those in the throng, discarded cigarettes and vapes with faulty batteries add another source of ignition to the same dry conditions.
Then there's the trash. A disposable BBQ picnic doesn't just leave behind food packaging. There is the packaging for the BBQ itself, as well as the spent grill and ash, plus disposable plates and cutlery: three waste streams where a carefully packed lunch can produce far less.
Half-cooked meat and leftovers often end up in general trash bins rather than food waste bins, if they reach a bin at all. Often, picnickers' trash bags are too large to put in general park bins and are left beside an overflowing bin. Unfortunately, it doesn't necessarily stay there. Bagged waste is often scattered by foxes and gulls before collection crews arrive, turning good intentions into more litter on the ground.
Here's the reframe worth sitting with: If you think of yourself as a climate-aware, nature-loving type, cooking over an open flame on parched grassland isn't actually a wholesome outdoorsy choice. It risks the landscape you're claiming to enjoy, triples the trash of an ordinary picnic and burns fossil fuel-derived charcoal to heat food you could just as happily eat cold.
The simplest, healthiest and most environmentally friendly option is also the easiest one: Pack a fresh, plant-based meal in a container that seals, and use that same container for anything you don't finish. No flame, no ash, no coals, no fire risk and no extra trash.
Skipping the disposable BBQ used to mean giving something up. But given the risk, the mess and the heat we're now living with, packing a salad is simply the better option.
Who's behind this story?
MA in English, copy editor since 2021 with experience in higher education and health content. Dedicated to trustworthy science news. Full profile →
Master's in physics with research experience. Long-time science news enthusiast. Plays key role in Science X's editorial success. Full profile →
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Citation: Wildfires: Why disposable BBQs are being banned from some parks and beaches (2026, August 3) retrieved 3 August 2026 from https://phys.org/news/2026-08-wildfires-disposable-bbqs-beaches.html
This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only.
>> Home