Protect Surrey commons and say #BurgerOff to disposable BBQs
A message from Surrey Fire and Rescue
Surrey Fire and Rescue is urging residents to say ‘Burger Off’ to disposable barbecue’s.
They say we should pack a picnic instead.
Already this year, the service has been called to over 500 fires in our outdoor spaces.
They have has also created a map showing the location, size and cause of years fires in open spaces.
The Fire Service say wildfires are becoming more and more common, and cause devastating damage to the countryside, rare species in Surrey, and people’s lives and livelihoods.
Wildfires in Surrey over the last decade
Horsell Common April 2021 a wildfire caused significant damage. Wildlife can be badly affected by wildfire – birds nest in the ground, and insects and reptiles are actively feeding on the land. There is much wider knock-on effect than people may realise to the wider food chain, the damage caused by wildfire takes years and money to repair and restore our heathland.
Frensham Common July 2010- a major wildfire burnt through 148 acres. The fire had a major impact on the local wildlife, the only single pair of Dartford Warblers and their young at Frensham were nesting on the common were destroyed, uncounted reptiles and insects perished, and the Heath Tiger Beetle has not been seen on the common since that fire. It has taken 11 years of careful management and work to get the heath back into condition for some animals, however, to have a healthy population of reptiles will take at least another 10 years. In June in 2021, 35 BBQ’s were discovered and extinguished by Waverly Borough Council Rangers.
Chobham Common 2020– The largest National Nature Reserve in the South East of England, is home to around 100 different bird species, and more than 300 species of wildlife! In 2020, a wildfire broke out and resulted in 10 days of firefighting and was declared a Major Incident. The fire spread quickly and destroyed around 500 acres, which is roughly the size of 378 football fields.
Spencer Nicholls, Wildfire and Rural Partnerships Officer at SFRS, said: “We’ve been working with landowners to explore ways to mitigate and ultimately prevent wildfires in the open and limit the devastation they leave behind. Some of our outdoor spaces are covered by a Public Service Protection Order in place, which means if you are found using a disposable BBQ or open fire you could be served a fixed penalty notice of £100”.
The aim of the Burger Off campaign is to discourage BBQ use and raise awareness to the potentially devastating effects their use could have to our countryside and wildlife.