Andy Burnham urges shops to pause disposable barbecue sales after Cobra heatwave meeting

Andy Burnham urges shops to pause disposable barbecue sales after Cobra heatwave meeting Prime Minister Andy Burnham convened ministers, officials and agencies as scorching temperatures persist across the country in the fifth heatwave of the summer Andy Burnham has urged all retailers to pause the sale of disposable barbecues in order to prevent more wildfires raging this summer. It came as the Prime Minister warned extreme heat conditions "could be with us for some weeks yet" after chairing an emergency Cobra meeting in response to the fifth heatwave this summer. Speaking on Wednesday evening, he said: "The big risk in terms of risk to the wider regions across the country is the risk of wildfires. What we are seeing is multiple serious incidents across the country. "Fire services by and large are supporting each other through mutual aid to deal with those incidents, but we are keeping a very close watching brief on them." He added: "There is advice to the public here not to use disposable barbecues. We have today confirmed through the National Fire Chiefs Council that the framework restricting the retail sale of those disposable barbecues is being extended. "Now I would ask all retailers big and small to adhere to that framework. Longer term we will look at whether a temporary ban in the summer months is justified." Most major UK supermarkets have already suspended sales of disposable barbecues in recent weeks in line with voluntary guidance from the NFCC. The message followed Wednesday's Cobra meeting with the PM convening ministers, officials and agencies as scorching temperatures persist across the country in the fifth heatwave of the summer. They included representatives from the Environment Agency, the Met Office, and the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA). Earlier this week, the Environment Agency said 71.3% of England is now experiencing "flash drought", following the country's driest July on record. Before the Cobra meeting, Mr Burnham also said people should not be using single-use grills "at this time" amid a "significant problem" of wildfires in the south, where a blaze hit protected heathland in the New Forest, Hampshire. The Prime Minister said he was "certainly going to consider" a ban, adding: "I do believe we need to get the message out loud and clear. People should not be using those barbecues outside at this moment in time." On Tuesday, a firefighters' union sounded the alarm, warning that the country is facing a "national emergency" amid the ongoing wildfire crisis. General secretary Steve Wright said: "Lives are being put at risk. This is only going to get worse unless we get a grip of it now and put in place a proper national strategy". The Cobra meeting on Wednesday was the second this summer on heatwaves after one took place amid high temperatures in June. The Met Office has said the UK is on course for its hottest summer on record. Rare amber "extreme heat" warnings have been issued by the forecaster for London and parts of the South East, East Midlands, East of England, West Midlands and South Yorkshire from 9am to midnight on Thursday.