Bonfire warning after shed inferno

With the big Jubilee Weekend fast approaching, people planning on having bonfires to get rid of the excess garden waste and rubbish are being warned to think again following an inferno in Churchstoke.

On Monday morning, firefighters from Montgomery were called to a shed fire (aftermath pictured) in the which had originated from a bonfire that was placed too close to the shed, and had also spread to a hedge and a tree.

“Firefighters extinguished the fire using two hose reel jets and a thermal imaging camera and left the incident at 1.15pm,” a Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson said.

Now the service has asked us to share the following advice ahead of what promises to be a long weekend in the garden next week for many and urges people to “carefully consider if it is necessary to burn their rubbish and instead utilise their local authority’s waste disposal services”.

Bonfire Key Safety Advice

If it is essential to burn your rubbish and garden waste in a bonfire, then please follow these simple rules that are advocated by the National Fire Chiefs Council:

• Firstly, is it necessary?
• If it is necessary, then bonfires should be sited well away from buildings, fences, trees and garden buildings and structures.
• If possible, the burning of garden rubbish should take place within a garden incinerator. The garden incinerator should be placed on an even and non-combustible surface, such as a patio slab.
• DO NOT use flammable liquids or accelerants to start the bonfire.
• The bonfire should always be supervised.
• A means to control the bonfire should be at hand e.g. a garden hose.
• Always check local laws/bylaws to check if you comply.
• In the event of an emergency, you should always call 999.