The Leader of Richmond Council, Cllr Gareth Roberts, is calling on local shops and residents to help prevent fires in the borough by immediately stopping the sale of disposable barbecues.

During last week's heatwave, the London Fire Brigade battled several fires across the capital due to sever temperatures turning dry grass on green spaces into a tinder box.

The number of serious incidents had prompted the Brigade to ask people to only call 999 if there was an emergency, or if there was an immediate risk to life, and had urged people strongly against barbecues or bonfires.

Earlier this month, the Royal Park also reminded visitors to avoid bringing disposable barbecues to any of their eight parklands due to incidents occurring in Richmond and Bushy Park.

Parts of Bushy Park had been damaged by a bonfire while some lizards were killed as a result of an accidental fire in Richmond Park.

Accidental fires caused by disposable barbecues during soaring temperatures can have disastrous consequences for wildlife, destroying veteran trees, annihilating wild-flower seed banks and harming or even killing birds and mammals.

Lizards found killed after an accidental fire in Richmond Park (Image: The Royal Parks)

Cllr Gareth Roberts said: "Disposable barbecues are dangerous and unnecessary. They are one of the most common causes of grass and open land fires, which puts strain on our emergency services and can devastate green spaces.

"During the recent heatwave, the London Fire Brigade's Fire Commissioner called for an urgent temporary ban of disposable barbecues in all public parks and open spaces because of the risk to lives and the environment. 

"Alongside the risk of fire, disposable barbecues in public places create nuisance for other people. They produce smoke, which has an adverse impact on air quality and can be annoying for anyone else using the park or open space, and they also often get left behind as litter. Additionally, you cannot recycle them, making them very environmentally unfriendly."

He added: "Disposable barbecues are not allowed in Council parks and open spaces and are in breach of our anti-social behaviour Public Spaces Protection Order. Anyone using a disposable barbecue in these spaces could be issued with a fine.  

"However, despite this, more still needs to be done by all of us to ensure we stop the unnecessary risk to the environment and to our health.

"Therefore, we are urging local shops to follow in the footsteps of supermarkets like Waitrose and Aldi by no longer selling disposable barbecues. And we should all always opt for a picnic in our local parks and open spaces. 

"Hopefully, the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs considers a full ban on sales of disposable barbecues soon. But in the meantime, we should all play our part by stopping selling and buying them to respect our environment and the people around us."