Smokers urged to be careful when disposing of cigarettes

PEOPLE are being urged to take extra care to ensure that they do not unintentionally start fires in the open.

The Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service has appealed to people to be extra careful when disposing of cigarettes, carrying out controlled burns or having barbecues.

A spokesman said: “Due to the extremely hot and dry weather conditions we have experienced and attended a high number of incidents across the Devon and Somerset area involving grass, embankments, trees, bins and bonfires out of control.”

People have been asked to make sure they have adequate precautions available such as a garden hose reel or buckets of water to hand in case a barbecue turns dangerous, while the Fire Service has also advised that people should be “mindful of wind direction.”

The Fire Service spokesman also said that people should be wary of leaving glass bottles in direct sunlight due to the magnification of the sun on combustible items.

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