Britain is considering a ban on disposable barbecues as an unprecedented heatwave and widening drought drive a surge in wildfires across England and Wales. Nearly three-quarters of England and all of Wales are now officially in drought, with the Environment Agency reporting that 71.3 percent of England is experiencing flash drought following the driest July on record.
Fire services responded to 393 wildfires in England and Wales in July, the busiest month on record. Mayor of London Andy Burnham urged residents in the capital and other drought-hit areas to stop using disposable barbecues and said he would consider introducing a ban. Most major British supermarkets have already suspended sales of the grills in recent weeks.
The Met Office issued a rare amber extreme heat warning for Thursday with temperatures reaching up to 38C, and the agency says Britain is on course for its warmest summer ever recorded. Southern Water has applied for a rare drought order to ban filling of non-private swimming pools.