A Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPOs) comes into force on 1 July that prevents people lighting fires, including BBQs, fireworks, lanterns, and campfires, in many public areas across Dorset.
Dorset Council is working with Forestry England and Dorset and Wiltshire Fire service to protect countryside area including heathlands, forests, and coastlines from the devastation that unattended naked flames can cause.
Just over two years ago 220 hectares of heath and forest was destroyed by a wildfire at Wareham Forest. Started by discarded disposable BBQs, the fire blazed for three weeks and took 150 firefighters and 4 million litres of water to extinguish. It will take decades for the area to regenerate.
Over the last two years there have also been a series of injuries and safety concerns caused by BBQs used along the coastline and public spaces.
Dorset Council and its partners are working together to help ensure that all visitors are aware of the new law and the reasons for it. Anyone found to be breaking the new restrictions will be liable for a £100 fine and all banned items will be confiscated,
There is clear signage at the public areas where the PSPO applies. The PSPO does not apply to private property, such as gardens.
Cllr Laura Beddow, Dorset Council’s Portfolio Holder for Culture, Communities and Customer Services, said:
“There is no reason to start a fire on a heathland or in a forest. They can get out of control very quickly, destroy important habitats and kill many species of animals and plants. If you must eat, take a sandwich, and bring the packaging home with you.”
Mark Warn, Wildlife Ranger for Forestry England in Dorset, said: “Dorset is a special place, its heathlands and forests are a real haven for wildlife. They are home to some of the UK’s rarest wildlife and are outstanding places to visit and connect with nature. Let’s keep them this way by not lighting fires or BBQs and bringing a picnic instead”.
Group Manager Charlie Pack, of Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service, said: “Fire can spread with devastating speed and, every year, we see large areas of our beautiful countryside destroyed. In far too many cases, this is down to people not taking care with campfires or barbecues. We can all play our part in protecting our heathlands and open spaces, so we are urging people to #BringAPicnicNotABBQ when out and about, and to avoid doing anything involving naked flame.”
Litter Free Dorset are continuing their campaign for businesses to choose to remove disposable BBQs from sale and to encourage people not to use disposable BBQs. Find out more about this campaign.
All the agencies are encouraging people to take a picnic not a BBQ this year and, of course, take your rubbish home.
Find out more information on the PSPO for fires on open land.
The areas covered by the BBQ ban look confusing and sometimes random in the on-line link you have provided. Is it correct? Some beaches are ok, some aren’t, some parts of the rural coast path are, some aren’t. In/around Dorchester only Max Gate has a ban. And there is a bbq ban inside the fenced nuclear site at Winfrith. I can understand heathland, woodland and nature reserves but some urban areas have bans too. How is this going to be policed?
Sad to see the pallet loads of BBQ sets outside some of the supermarkets. I hope they are sold with a safety warning
Frankly the fine should be at least £1,000 and preferably £5,000. Alternatively they should be made to pay for damage – including collateral damage caused. There’s a lot of people out there who start fires with BBQs, cigarette ends or whatever, who wouldn’t give a monkey’s for a £100 fine. There should moreover be some credible mechanism for such people actually being apprehended. From what I see there are insufficient police to carry out this – or indeed many other tasks in relation to criminal activity in Dorset.
Seeing a barbecue in full swing within metres of the sign telling people no fires, bbqs etc, in the Nothe Gardens yesterday afternoon, I didn’t know what to do.
Is there a hot line, or should I have gently told them to cease and desist forthwith
I failed to address the problem
Hi – you can report this to our Community Safety Team Email: communitysafetyteamc@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk
Tel: 01305 762439.
Does this apply to camp sites
Nicky – You’d need to check with the campsite owners, but the order covers Public Spaces (campsites would be considered private property) so would unlikely be in force.
What about coastal areas where there are homes? We dug up a number of bbq left still hot. Our dog narrowly missed stepping on one. What’s more the smoke does come into houses as people don’t understand wind direction.
I have twice seen BBQs lit within garage entrance heres last week This occurs to me as utterly stupid since both cars and flammable materials are stored in close proximity.. Also the area is surrounded by tall trees. Could you please give an opinion on this.
I assume this ban does not apply to private domestic gardens?
I refer to BBQs and small bonfires.
Good point. I am not sure of the answer either. On Shaftesbury a road side sign states No BBQ No bonfires.
I need to use a bonfires in my largest garden but am aware sparks can fly off so waiting fir some rain to reverse the tinder dry state.
It’s high time those BBQ sets were off the market. People have no knowledge of how to use them safely even on their own property and the ground is really dry
Does this include BBQ on the beach? Beach BBQs or campfires in the evening are a great occaision – are these high risk? Seems sad to have such blanket bans. I can understand BBQ bans in heathland and areas where there are flammable materials but our beaches are full of stones.
Yes the order is not clear – yesterday there were a few BBQ’s at Ringstead, but well controlled and small pre packed BBQ’s – did not seem any difficulty – but are beaches covered by this Order ? It is not clear.
Can’t agree more re supermarkets.
I’ll name a local supermarket store, Morrisons Bridport, pallets outside for customers to pick up and shop.
Viewed list of stores participating in the No sale, and strange there’s only 1 Morrisons. SHAME on you.
Surely time for a councillor to pay a visit and explain.
Whilst the signs and publicity is rather poor the ban only applies to land owned by DC. Yet they don’t actually want to tell you that. So perfectly acceptable to buy a bbq from a retailer and use on your own land. Why would shops stop selling them when there is a market for them.
A £500 fine might be a more effective deterrent than an ‘affordable’ £100 penalty.
Absolutely agree, £100.00 these days is no deterrent and should be more realistic! £500.00 would be a good start!
Absolutely agree, £100.00 these days is no deterrent and should be more realistic!
Chris: I guess you haven’t seen the horrific burn injuries to a young boy’s feet? He was interviewed on TV this morning.
Two years ago, he was playing with his brother in what seemed by the parents to be a safe area of clean sand. He stepped on a discarded BBQ – which seemingly the users had tried to bury responsibly several hours previously. However, the embers remained burning hot below the surface, and he trod on them. Since then he has been subjected to several skin grafts, etc …. So, unless you take the remains home with you, to be sure….???